CheerBall
by DuckiBelle
Summary: This story is about two teachers at CA Bay Area high school. They both have a nasty, slightly twisted ex in their past. They fight getting together, but sometimes love, family, & friends have other plans. Rated M for cussing & sexual innuendo.
1. August 10, 2012

_**I do not own the Twilight story or any of its characters.**_

_**I just like messing with Stephenie Meyer's masterpiece!**_

Bella Swan was a cheerleader since she started cheering for the youth football league at eight years old. She cheered for the football and basketball teams in junior high and high school, even winning nationals her junior and senior years. She had procured a full ride to the University of Southern California. She even spent a two years as a cheerleader for the Philadelphia Eagles. She knew what it took to be the best and wasn't going to settle for anyone being less than their best, especially the girls on her squad. She graduated at the top of her class with majors in the Psychology of Teenagers and Italian. At the beginning of the story, she is starting her first year teaching Italian and Psychology along with coaching the cheer squads at Frost High School.

Emmett McCarty had grown up on football, but his love was the sciences. He had worked hard on the field to make it to the NFL only to have his shoulder torn to pieces during the last game of his rookie season with the Oakland Raiders. He was grateful his parents Siobhan and Liam had made him finish college before he joined the NFL. He was just beginning his third year of teaching Chemistry and Biology at Frost High School. During his first year of teaching he was an assistant coach of a tired football team. He took over as Head Coach the next year when the previous one retired. He had lead the team with a rejuvenated spirit straight through to the fourth round of the play-offs.

**Cheer-Ball: Friday, August 10, 2012**

**Bella's POV**

"Ms. Swan! Ms. Swan! Ms. Swan!" rang loudly through the morning silence that had settled on the quad of Frost High School in Walnut Creek, CA. Startled out of my morning daze, I turned to see two girls in cheerleading practice outfits running down the steps of the amphitheater toward me.

When the girls stopped abruptly in front of me, I had to take a step back; I was not used to their bouncing, perkiness first thing in the morning. After reading their names that were embroidered on their sleeveless tees, I asked, "Jessica, Lauren, how can I help you? Practice is not for another ten minutes."

"We know."

"We wanted to introduce ourselves."

"We are the co-captains of your new cheer squad. I'm Jessica." She added pointing to her name on her shirt.

Lauren pointed to her own name and giggled, "I'm Lauren."

"Nice to meet you, girls. I am a bit confused though. I haven't even met or made the squad, for that matter. I certainly have not assigned anyone as captains." I said cutting off Jessica as she opened her mouth to add something else.

"We know." Jessica repeated. "We are just the most popular and best so, we just assumed you would choose us."

"We wanted the other girls to respect us from the very beginning." Lauren added in a way that made me think Jessica had rehearsed it with her.

"We didn't want some of the younger girls to get confused with too many changes." Jessica finished with a self satisfied nod.

"Well, don't get used to it. I will be holding full tryouts in about fifteen minutes. I believe the fliers, e-mails, and phone calls about tryouts said as much." I stated. In response to the faces the two girls made, I added, "Yes, that statement does means everyone, including you two, must perform at tryouts to make it on the squad this year."

Jessica stuttered, "But… but…"

"Listen, if you are the best, like you say you are, I am sure you will make it back on the squad." Then, I quickly turned to walk away from the stunned girls to the safety and peace of my classroom.

I walked into my stifling hot classroom to drop my purse in my locked drawer and grab my camera. I had learned long ago when I was a high school cheer captain, it was best to have pictures with their names on it to keep things running smooth and orderly.

When I walked back out of my classroom, I quickly, but silently jogged the long way around the school's campus. I wanted to avoid Jessica and Lauren, who were still standing in the spot I had left them and they were fuming mad.

After making it to the gymnasium, I peeked through the in the window door. I was pleased with the turn out, there were approximately sixty girls stretching and getting ready for tryouts.

I stood there for a moment struggling with what to do and how to start out this cheer squad. _"Should I just walk in and call them to order or should I go flashy and do a tumbling pass down the whole length of the floor? This is my first impression on these girls. I need them to respect me, my talent and my authority, right?" _Bella thought. _"Shit! Why did I think I could do this again?"_

"Well, having seen you perform at a Raiders-Eagles game and getting even the die-hard Raiders' fans to cheer for you is one reason I think you can do this." A deep, smooth, baritone voice startled me from behind, causing me to jump. I whipped around to see who had spoken and then, a large, muscular, Celtic god continued, "Also, you graduated top in your class with majors in Psychology and Italian. I, for one, would love to take your Italian class. I have always wanted to learn that language."

"Uh… Um" I stammered staring into his clear blue eyes.

"Well, maybe I can't take your class because you seem to be having a little trouble with English. I thought it was a prerequisite to know both languages before teaching one of them?" He said with a playful smirk that cased his dimples to appear on his face.

"What? Oh, sorry. I didn't realize I was speaking out loud." I said snapping back to reality, a little flustered and flushed. "I'm Bella Swan, but it sounds like you already know that."

"Hello, Bella. Emmett McCarty, I teach Chemistry and Biology here." He said extending his hand. "Also, I am the Head Coach of the football team."

"Oh! So, it is your team my squad is supposed to be cheering on."

"I guess so." He replied with another dimpled smirk.

I huffed. "As long as, you and your team treat my girls as the athletes they are and with the respect they deserve, we will get along just fine."

"I will personally make sure that happens. Especially since, if I didn't my mother, my sister, and my cousin would have my head." He said changing his smirk to a true smile. "So, how long are you going to stand here and doubt yourself?"

"Maybe five more minutes?"

Emmett nodded to her and then, pulled the gym doors wide open. After stepping inside, he yelled, "Okay, ladies. Listen up! Move to the sides unless you want to be landed on!"

He turned back and whispered to me, "Let's see something flashy!"

%

"I can't believe you stay for the entire tryouts." I said for the twentieth time as we were sitting, laughing, and drinking water in my classroom three hours later. We were having too much fun going through my notes from tryouts and the pictures of the girls on my laptop.

"Well, after you stunned all those girls to silence, including the biggest motor mouths in the world Jessica and Lauren, I had to stay and see what you would do next. Also, I have an investment in who cheers for my guys." Emmett said trying to hold a straight face, but failing miserably. He laughed as he said, "I still can't believe that you flipped in the air two and a half times before your feet hit the floor again."

"I can't believe when your team came in you kicked them out and told them to go run laps. Then, your assistant coaches come in and you tell them to join the team in running laps." At remembering this, I started laughing so hard that I almost fell backward in my swivel chair. I threw myself forward to counter balance the tipping. I over compensated and ended up whacked my head on the corner of my desk. "Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!"

"You okay, Bella?" Emmett asked jumping off the student desk he was sitting on. He ran over and kneeled in front of me.

"I'm fine. I'm fine. I do stuff like this all the time." I said trying to laugh off the sharp, stabbing pain right above my temple. "I am a closet klutz. I can do all kinds of acrobatic stunts, but I can't walk a straight line or sit in a chair or eat in a restaurant without hurting myself."

"That is rather hilarious, but that head wound is not." Emmett said making a horrible face at the amount of blood coming from my head. He took off his teal football tee and used it to put pressure on the cut in my head. "Are we taking your car or my jeep? You are going to the hospital, if you want to or not."

I looked up at him standing there in a white tank top and black mesh shorts with such concern in his eyes. I was momentarily awe struck by him. "No, no. I'm fine. I have some gauze in my desk drawer. I can take care of my own head wound. It won't be the first or the last time."

"Really? That is a little disturbing." Emmett said with an odd tone to his voice. "But I'm going to say no to the gauze in your desk. I am taking you to the hospital. I will not hesitate to forcibly carry you out of here. Now, will it be your car or my jeep?"

"We can take my truck. It is parked right outside the theater. That's close, right?" I responded, giving in.

"Right. Let's go. Do you need me to carry you?" He said smiling slightly as he helped me up from my seat.

I shook my head no and then, winced in pain. "I can walk. Just grab my laptop and my purse out of the bottom right drawer of my desk. I don't think I should bend over right now."

When we arrived at the parking lot next to the school's theater, Emmett started laughing, "That's your truck?"

I winced at his loud laughter and said a quiet yes, he quietly said, "That is not a truck! That is an orange, rust bucket on wheels. Didn't they pay you anything to be an NFL cheerleader?"

I playfully smacked his stomach with the hand not holding his tee to my head. "That truck has seen me through a lot. I have had it since… um, well, since high school. I love it. No making fun of it."

"Well, if you say it runs, I guess it will do." He helped me into my old truck and reminded me to keep pressure on my head. As he ran around the front, he pulled out his cell phone.

I saw him hit a few buttons and then, the number 3 on his speed dial. I became slightly confused trying to understand Emmett's side of the conversation as he drove to the hospital. "Hey, I'm on my way to the ER. Can you meet me?"

"No. No, I'm not hurt. Newton didn't lose control of his run today." Then, he laughed loudly, but cut off quickly when he saw me wince. "A new friend of mine hit her head on her desk and cut it open."

"No, I didn't do it!"

"It is bleeding pretty badly. It will probably need stitches."

"Yes, I think I know more than you even though you have a medical degree." He said so sarcastically that was dripping.

"We are in her blue truck."

"Ask them to bring food when they brings my car, I'm starving."

"I know I am always starving. What's your point?"

"Okay, I can wait and stop somewhere on my way home or hit the vending machines at the hospital. See you in a few minutes."

"Emmett, who… who were you were talk… talking to on the phone?" I asked stuttering as I leaned against the passenger side window trying to get some heat from the sun warming it.

"Don't worry about that right now. Just know you will be in the best hands." He glanced over and I knew he noticed my eyes start to roll back in my head and close. He reached over and lightly shook my shoulder. "Stay with me, Bella! Come on, stay with me! Shit!"

%

SCREECH! I strained against my seatbelt as Emmett slammed the brakes on my truck. I knew I was going to have a nice new bruise to go with a cut on my head. I winced because the sounds seemed to be heightened around me since my eyes closed. I heard him turned off the truck's loud engine and he slammed the driver's side door, I imagined him running around the front of the truck to get me out and to medical attention.

I squeezed my eyes closed tighter and felt my head loll onto his shoulder when he picked me up. He accidently hit my head on the door frame and then, slammed the door of the truck.

I softly whispered, "Emmett, you should be nicer to Billy. He is old enough to be your car's grandfather."

Then, I attempted to cover my eyes, but I couldn't lift my arm as he carried me through the sliding glass doors and into the bright light of the hospital.

"Hey, Carlisle. While it is true that I can stand here holding her all day, I think you might want to do your job because she is becoming delirious and is very close to passing out." He yelled to someone across the emergency room.

At his words, I felt my body became completely limp. Just before I blacked out, I heard his tee hit the floor with a squish. Then, a flurry of sound and activity sprung up around us.

%

"Emmett, you promised you wouldn't do this again!" whined a high pitched female voice. I was tempted to open my eyes to see who belonged to this new voice, but I resisted. I did wondered what the voice meant by _again_.

"Calm down, would you? Everything is fine and I didn't do it again. I promise nothing is going to happen. We were just in her room talking about my team and her squad. She was laughing and accidently hit her head after almost toppling over backward. She actually apologized for it. She mumbled something about being a closet klutz." I heard Emmett respond with what sounded like a smile in his voice.

"Good. Well, not good that she is hurt, but good nothing happened. Nobody wants what happened with Rosalie to happen again." A different female voice with a sweet, musical tone said.

"Okay, you two be quiet and back off the man for a minute. I need to do some doctor stuff." said a calm, yet authoritative tenor male voice. "Emmett, is there anyone we should contact for her?"

"How should I know? We weren't talking about personal stuff, remember? My team and her cheerleading squad!" Emmett said exasperatedly.

"Calm down, Emmett. Can you call the school and see if they have any emergency contact information? Mrs. Cope has had a crush on you for two years. She will be willing to give it to you. The office should have it already since you both were supposed to be running practices starting today."

"What? I had a practice!"

"No, you had the players and assistant coaches running laps and lifting weights for three hours." The musical voice said with a light laugh.

"What? How? Who?" Emmett stuttered.

"Clapp e-mailed me to thank me for the heat exhaustion tips and explained why he had to use them. Now, go call Mrs. Cope and see if you can get me some answers." The now amused, but still authoritative male voice said.

I heard him mumbling something about snitching assistant coaches as he opened the room's door and left. I tried to understand the few whispers pass between the three people that were left in the room, who all were obviously close to Emmett.

A few moments later, I listened the door open and close again. I barely opened my eyes a sliver to make sure it was Emmett who had entered the room and it was.

"Well, calling Mrs. Cope was kind of a bust. Bella's only relative is her father. He is a sheriff in a small town near the coast in Washington. His deputy said he left yesterday morning for a three-day deep sea fishing trip. No one is able to contact him until tomorrow night." Emmett explained with a scowl on his face.

"Her mom is not available?" The high-pitched, tiny, slightly young-looking, pixie-like woman asked.

I looked back to Emmett in time to see him shrug his shoulders, not knowing the answer to the question.

"If you don't want to land in the hospital yourself, you will not try to find or contact her." I calmly said causing all four of the others in the room to jump.

"Thank, God." Emmett said stepping close to the head of the bed. "You scared the hell out of me, I mean, us. You have been out for almost an hour."

"Brilliant!" I said attempting to sit up. A tall, good-looking, thirty-ish year old, blonde man in pale teal medical scrubs rushed forward to help me sit up and check my pulse. "My heartbeat is normal and so is my vision. By the way, is everything around here centered on the color teal?"

"So, not only are you an amazing and athletic klutz, but you are a mind reader and color commentator as well." The doctor said with a lopsided half smile.

"Nope, I have just been in more emergency rooms than there are virgins at Comic-Con." The entire room burst into laughter until the doctor saw me wince from the loudness.

"Okay, you three out." The doctor said with a chuckle still in his voice. When the others didn't move, he assumed his authoritative doctor voice again and said, "Emmett, would you please pick up your sister and your cousin and take them out of here."

Emmett got a mischievous look on his face and turned on his sister and his cousin, the pixie and a petite, thirty-ish woman with a sweetheart face surrounded by long, honey colored hair. The women quickly glanced at each other and then, ran silently out of the room. Emmett turned and shot me a sly wink. Then, he proceeded to stalk out of the room, chasing them like he was a monster.

Under his breath, Carlisle said, "That works every single time!"

"So, Emmett brings passed out girls in here often just so he can chase his female relatives around?" I asked with smirk.

"Maybe we should let Emmett keep you around for a while if you are just as funny when you don't have a concussion." The doctor said with a smile only he and angels could pull off.

"I'll let you know if I ever don't have a concussion." I said sullenly, but matter of fact tone.

"We can only wait then. Okay, Bella, I need you to relax while I check your head." He said starting to gently touch her head in spots checking for signs of pain. "By the way, I glued your head back together and put three butterfly bandages on it. Lastly, I just remembered I didn't tell you my name. I am Dr. Carlisle Cullen, or as Emmett sometimes calls me 'Yo, cuz give my player back!', but you can call me Carlisle."

"I only met him a few hours ago and I can totally picture him saying that." I said trying to laugh quietly. I winced and stopped my own laughing quickly.

After a couple more minutes of checking my head, Carlisle stepped over to the small sink in the room to wash his hands. "So, I am having my nurse cutting a few rectangles of plastic to cover your cut during your showers. It will be put in a bag with the tape and butterfly bandages I want you to use. I am very picky."

"I understand. I'm picky, too."

"Good." He said sitting on the edge of my bed. "Now, between you hitting your head on your desk and Emmett knocking it into the doorframe of your truck, I don't feel comfortable letting you stay alone. Which leads me to the questions I have to ask, do you have a roommate or a friend that can stay with you for a couple of nights?"

I wanted to lie and say yes so I could get out of there, but the look in Carlisle's eye told me he would see right through it. So, with a sigh, I said, "No."

"Are you willing to spend the night here at the hospital?" I just raised one eyebrow at him and he chuckled. "I figured as much. Give me one moment." Then, he walked out of the room.

When he had been gone for almost five minute, I began to worry my lip and ring my hands. I was about to stand up and walk out of the room to find Carlisle when the woman with the sweetheart face walked back in the room with him.

"Bella, this is Emmett's cousin and my wife, Esme. She is going to take you home in your truck and then, drive you to Alice and Emmett's."

"Why am I going to Alice and Emmett's?"

"Well, either you stay here at the hospital for a night or two or…" Carlisle started.

"You stay with Carlisle and I, who have been described as vomit-inducing affectionate," Esme added, "or…"

"You stay with two single people, Emmett and me, on your own half of a floor in our three story house." The pixie that I now have guessed is named, Alice, said as she danced into the room.

"Are you sure you want a klutz that you just met come and stay with you for a couple of days?" I asked in a shocked tone.

"It will be great! I'm used to Emmett's old football buddies dropping by with little notice or unannounced anyways. You will be a breath of fresh air." Alice said a little too loud for Bella. Lowering her volume, Alice continued, "Besides, I miss living with other girls. Until two months ago, I had to live with Emmett and Edward, for three years."

"If you are sure," I said looking at her questioningly. She nodded her consent. "I guess bunking for a couple of days with you and Emmett sounds good. One condition though, you are not allowed go all sorority sister psycho on me."

"I promise to try and reign myself in." Alice said trying to do a Girl Scout's Honor gesture, but got it wrong. "Emmett and I are going to go make sure the rooms you will be staying on are clean and have recovered from Edward. Make sure you and Esme get everything you need from your place. I hate driving at night and I don't think you want Emmett going through your drawers."

Esme and Carlisle surprised me again by making almost identical horrible and disgusted face when Alice said the name Edward for the second time. I was brought back from my musings when I heard Emmett's voice.

"Hey, the only drawers I have ever rifled through were yours. That was when we were teenagers and I was searching for your diary." Emmett defended himself as he leaned against the doorway. "Time to go, Ali. You were the one that wanted to stop at the Trader Joes to get some gourmet, prepared food to impress Bella."

Alice turned a deep pink and waved bye to Esme, Carlisle, and myself. As she walked passed Emmett out of the room, she smacked his chest and mumbled, "You weren't supposed to say that in front of her."

Emmett just chuckled, winked at me, and followed his little sister out.

Carlisle left the room after them to get the pain medicine and wound protection items for me while Esme sat on the edge of my bed. "Okay, Bella, Emmett told me that you have an old truck and you didn't like how he drove it or treated the doors. I promise to try to be as gentle as possible with it."

I was very appreciative of Esme's kindness and felt now was the time to become completely honest with her. "Esme, you and your family have been so nice to me. I guess now is the time to be honest with you about something."

"May I sit? This sounds serious." Esme said with a small hint of trepidation in her voice.

"Can you close the door first?"

"Sure. Carlisle will understand not come in if it is shut. He will thing you are changing or something." She said as she walked over to shut the hospital room door. "Now, what has your heart racing, Bella?"

"Huh?" I asked and then, looked blushing at the monitor that Carlisle had yet to take off me. "Gotcha. So, here is the deal. There was a… a commitment that I had to finish before I came out here to California. Because of that… uh, commitment, I haven't had time to look for a place, so, I don't exactly have a home. I just got here three days ago from Philadelphia. I have been staying at a hotel."

"Well, that makes perfect sense. Where have you been staying?"

"Oh, I have been staying at the… the Rose Hotel in Pleasanton." I stumbled over my reply as I tried to remember the name.

"You are staying where!" Esme said excitedly. She grabbed my hands and practically bounced on the bed as she continued to gush about my hotel. "Carlisle and I spend the night there two or three times a year just for a mini vacation. It is absolutely gorgeous. Those huge, glass showers, well, the stories I could tell you about what you could do in those showers."

I blushed profusely and begged her to stop. "I really don't need to know what you did in those showers. Putting images in my head is not a good idea right now."

"Right, well, let's get you unhooked from these machines. Then, we will head over, collect everything from your hotel room, and check you out. Then, after you recover, I will find you a place to live and help you decorate it." Esme got off the bed and began to walk to the door. She stopped at the foot of the bed and turned to me. She placed her hands on the footboard and said, "Just don't tell Alice where you were living; she can't wait to have a boyfriend worthy enough to take there."

"I won't tell her, I promise. On the other hand, thank you so much for offering to help me find a place to live. After living out of a suitcase and living with anywhere from five to forty girls since I left my dad's house, I could really use a nice, quiet place to live and call home."

"You have no idea what you have gotten yourself in for" Esme squealed happily as she hopped up and down before crossing to the door. Throwing it open, she called for Carlisle. "Carlisle, love, unhook the girl, please. I need to get her to the house."

"What's wrong?" Carlisle ran in and questioned in doctor mode at the sound of Esme's yelling. "Bella, are you okay? If you are really that exhausted from this, maybe you should stay the night."

"Nope, nothing is wrong with her." Esme said with a smile almost larger than her face. "I just have lots of work to do. I have a new project!" Esme added excitedly.

"Carlisle, what have I done?" I asked warily.

"You have saved me from having a room redone in my house for possibly the next sixth month." He answered with a smile. "Thank You!"

%

**Emmett's POV**

I grunted when Alice jumped on my back as we left the hospital. "Hey, Alice, what have you been eating? It feels like you have gained about five pounds." I teased.

After smacking me on the back of my head, she screamed, "I have not! Take that back, you… you, Big Bear!"

I just laughed and adjusted her on my back. "Sorry, Pixie! It was just too easy. So, where did you and Esme park my jeep?"

After depositing Alice in the backseat of my jeep at the very edge of the parking lot, I jumped in the front and peeled out. Alice smacked me in the back of the head again before quickly putting on her seatbelt.

"So, are you going to pick up your sty before Bella and Esme arrive?" Alice piped up from the backseat a few blocks away from the hospital.

"I might make sure I don't have any clothes, especially boxers, lying around the common floor of the house." I said nonchalantly. "I will block Esme's path if she attempts to sneak into my man cave rooms." I added with a hint of pride in my voice.

"Oh, please!" Alice huffed throwing herself back into her seat.

Moments later, Alice asked, "Emmett, why did you just pass the turn off to our house?"

"When was the last time we cooked or even opened the fridge for something besides a drink?" I asked glancing back at her in the rearview mirror.

"Oh." Alice said, her face falling.

"Bella is coming to stay with us for a few days. We will need food to feed her with and not just run out to grab In & Out burgers or eating peanut butter out of a jar. Plus, I think she will definitely notice if we only have food from Trader Joes."

"True. Plus, Esme will be disappointed when she realizes our cupboards are bare. She acts like such a mom to us sometimes ever since Mom and Dad moved to Ireland with Aunt Maggie."

"Okay, so we are going to run into Lucky's and grab staple food items."

"Sounds like a plan." Alice said, relaxing. All of the sudden, she quickly sat up and asked, "Emmett, my dear big brother, what are staple food items?"

%

**Bella POV**

Esme pulled into the Rose Hotel parking area. In complete awe, she said, "Oh, my god! Bella, I truly hate that my husband is making you leave this place. It is just so gorgeous."

"I do love it and it helps that the owner is a friend, but I can't wait until I have a place I can call my own." I said quietly. "I very glad you are willing to decorate it. I like nice places, but hate to decorate."

"I understand a lot of people are that way."

"Well, I think it is time to go move me out." We climbed out of my truck and up to my hotel room.

I was quickly able to pack up my clothes. Well, as quickly as I could with Esme gushing over the room every couple of minutes and interrupting me.

When I went to the front desk to check out, Esme finished carrying my second suitcase to my truck.

I walked up to my truck to find Esme leaning against the bed, clutching her sides, and laughing hysterically. After I climbed in the passenger side, I asked, "Esme, what is so funny? Please, don't tell me that Emmett and Alice asked you to drive me around because they need more time picking up. I am starting to get really tired."

"No, well, slightly like that. Alice and Emmett are trying to stock their kitchen so you and I don't find out that they eat out or grab take away or eat at my house every night." Esme said trying to explain and quiet her laughter at the same time. "Here read these."

_I love you, Es – Carlisle_

_What do you think of Bella? – Carlisle_

_Emmett smiles every time I say Bella. Gross! – Alice_

_Has Bella talked about Emmett? – Alice_

_What are staple foods? Why is Alice texting me to find out? – Carlisle_

"Let me text Alice to tell her and Emmett to go home. Then, I will drop you off and stock the kitchen later."

As Esme was texting, someone knocked on my window. I opened the door and hugged the woman that had knocked on it.

"Bella, what's going on? Are you okay? Did you find a place?" my friend that I had met at the hotel asked.

"I hit my head on my desk on my first day actually at the school, but I will be fine. I promise. I am moving out though, but I am just going to stay with some other new friends for a few days. I am under doctor's orders to behave and make sure someone can watch me." Bella explained.

"Oh, I can't believe you didn't think of me. I am right down the hall." My friend said, playfully hitting my arm. "Oh, well, call us when you get a place. Do you still have our cell numbers?"

As I nod my head yes, I noticed Esme trying to hide her face behind her wavy hair as she finished texting.

"So, Bella, are you so out of it that you can't introduce me?"

"I am so sorry. I am not thinking straight. Esme, this is Rose and Rose, this is Esme."

"Oh… Hello, Esme. How are you?" Rose said hesitantly.

"Hello, Rosalie. I am fine. How are you?" Weirdly, I thought Esme asked this through her teeth.

"I'm great."

"What are you doing staying here? Don't you have an apartment not that far away?" Esme asked seeming to try to get as much basic information as she could without being rude.

"Oh, I do have a place. It is in the process of being renovated. Edward and I are staying here for two weeks because it is not safe for me to be there."

"Wait a moment. Why wouldn't it be safe to be there, Rose?" I asked as my voice began to slur with sleep.

"Silly, Bella. Did you forget I am pregnant?" Rose said placing her hand lightly on her lower stomach.

From behind me, I heard Esme gasped loudly.

"Rose, I'll call you in a few days once I have rested and I find a place. I really need to go get some sleep, right now."

Rose leaned in the truck and hugged me. "Bye, Bella. Feel better, okay? Bye Esme. It was nice to see you again."

After Rose closed the truck door and walked away, Esme turned to me slightly, "I know you like people to be gentle with your truck, but I have a lot of anger right now. I will try my best not to hurt it."

%

I woke up as Esme slowly pulled up to a massive, but gorgeous, three-story European style thing. Looking around, I noticed only one other slightly smaller, similarly styled house nearby.

"Esme, um… where are we?" I asked completely confused about my surroundings.

Esme pointed to the, for lack of a better word, house and said, "That is where you will be staying. If you look to the corner windows on the third floor, you can see Alice remaking your bed."

"Oh, Alice. She doesn't have to do that. I have a concussion, I'm not broken."

"Oh, but she does. Helping others, decorating, and shopping are ingrained into her DNA. Plus, Carlisle made those two promise him not to let you lift a finger for the next few days." Esme said as she opened her door and hopped out of the truck.

I swiftly opened my door to make the squeal of metal against metal sound go away quicker. "No offense, Esme, but your husband sounds a tad bit over protective."

"No offense taken." Esme said grabbing my bags from the bed of my truck. "Besides, you don't know the half of it. Anyways, that modest cottage over there belongs to Carlisle and me."

"If that is your idea of a modest cottage, I now fear for my bank account when you help me find and redo a place."

Esme laughed her tinkling, non evil maniacal laugh in response. Then, she began to lead me up the small slop to the front door.

"Esme, pardon me for asking, but how can they afford this place? I mean they are a high school teacher and a college student." I asked trying to take in the massive cream, three floor house with plenty of window with green shudders. "It reminds me of villas I saw in Tuscany when I was there for my semester abroad."

"I did play professional football for a year." Emmett said startling me. When I turned to look at him, he was taking my bag from Esme's hands in the doorway.

Once Esme's hands were free, she smacked him playfully on the arm. "But…"

"But my parents built it as a weekend and vacation out of the city place when they moved to San Francisco." Emmett said leading us into the foyer. "And you're right. This house is a replica of our great grandparent's home in Tuscany."

"But I thought you were Irish with the last name of McCarty."

"That's dad's side of the family, but our mom and Esme's mom are definitely Italian." Alice said bounding down the stairs. "You must come over and try her home cooked pasta when our parents come back for Christmas."

"Okay, Alice. You can talk the girl's ear off later. She will be here for the next three days to a week depending on that silly husband of mine."

%

I was woken up from a nap in the most comfortable bed I had ever slept in by a tall, blonde handsome man. Not remembering what was going on, I screamed so loud I hurt my own ears and pushed him off of the bed.

Kneeling beside the bed, he tried to calm me down. "Bella, please stop screaming. I'm Carlisle. You need to stop or your head will hurt even more than it already is hurting."

Another larger, sandy brown haired man burst into the room and succeeded in scaring me even more. Two beautiful women ran in right behind him and shooed both of the men out of the room.

After finally getting me to calm down, Esme and Alice brought me down to the large, eat in kitchen.

I was thoroughly embarrassed by my behavior. I started to mumble an apology, but Emmett quickly stopped me.

"What you did was perfectly fine. You pushing him out of your bed will help keep his massive ego in check." Emmett joked teasing Carlisle.

Carlisle flipped off Emmett and then, slowly stepped toward me. "Can I check your head, Bella?"

I felt my face blush as I gave him a slight nod. Quietly, I asked, "Should I expect to have you wake me up to check my head all the time?"

"Sorry about that. I didn't think you would react that way." Carlisle responded as he blushed himself. After finishing his inspection of my head, he smiled and said, "It looks good. I will check it again tomorrow when I get home from the hospital. Make sure you get plenty of rest and **non**-alcoholic beverages. Alice, you don't have school until next Thursday right?"

"I have to go to school for few minutes on Monday, but otherwise I am free. Why?" Alice answered placing a glass of orange juice in front of me with two Tylenol. "I hope pulp free orange juice is fine."

"Thank you, Alice and Esme." After a quizzical look from Alice and Emmett, I explained. "She let me read her texts. Then, she asked me what I liked."

"Back to me." Carlisle said snippily. "Alice, I need you to keep an eye on Bella for a few days. Also, I want you to drive her back and forth to the school if she has to go in for a meeting. We need to keep her from doing too much or injuring her head further."

"What about me? Am I nothing?" Emmett whined.

"Of course, you are not nothing, Emmett." Esme said sweetly. She continued by saying, "I do think you need to hold an actual practice or two next week."

Esme's gentle teasing caused the rest of the room to laugh and Emmett to pout.

When the laughter died out, Esme said, "Dinner is ready. Here you are, Bella. I figured a simple chicken, mashed potato, and steamed asparagus dinner would help. God knows these two can't cook." Esme said as she placed a plate in front of me that looked like it belonged in a five star restaurant.

"Thanks, but you didn't have to go to any trouble for me." I replied, savoring the aroma coming from the delicious looking plate.

"It is no more trouble than feeding these three." Esme said pointing to her cousins and husband. "Since Carlisle says you aren't to lift a finger while you recover, I'm sure I will cook for you for the next week while you are living here."

"Speaking of, where is your place?" Alice asked not noticing a look pass between Esme, Carlisle, and myself. Emmett noticed the looks though. After a pause, Alice looked up at me and explained, "I just want to know where I will be going in case you forgot anything you might need."

After I swallowed the bite of yummy chicken I had just put in my mouth, I mumbled, "Everything I own, that is not in storage, is upstairs in the rooms you are letting me borrow. I just got to town and I have been staying in a hotel."

"Really? What hotel?" Alice questioned.

"I don't remember the name, but it was one of the ones over on Main Street in Pleasanton." I said evasively.

"Oh," Alice sighed. "I love the Rose Hotel that is over there. It is my favorite hotel in the area…"

I caught Emmett staring at me off and on for the rest of dinner as Alice, Esme, and Carlisle discussed the hotel.

After dinner, I claimed that I was still tired and climbed the stairs to the third floor. I sat on the bed for a few moments and realized how weird it was that I had known these people for a mere few hours and I already felt completely comfortable with them. I decided to hop in the shower to wash away the bad parts of this crazy day and the slight guilt I feel for half-lying to Alice.

When I got out of the incredible shower, I really had to admire Esme's attention to detail. These towels were amazingly soft, big, and comfy. I walked out of the bathroom and into the bedroom with a towel wrapped around me.

I jumped about a mile and held the towel to my chest when I heard a baritone voice timidly say my name. "Emmett? What are you doing in here? Please tell me, I didn't just take a shower in the wrong room?"

"No, this is your area. I just came in to talk to you." He said with a noticeable red tint to his cheeks. "I knocked and you didn't answer, so I poked my head in to make sure you were alright."

"Well, I'm fine, just tired." I said holding my towel tighter to me. "Was there anything else?"

I suppressed a giggle when I saw his eyes dart up and down my rather visible body.

"I… uh… well… Alice and I talked after Esme and Carlisle went home. We have been kicking around the idea of getting a new roommate."

"Okay…" I said confusedly. "I'll be out of here as soon as Carlisle will let me and Esme helps my find an apartment. It shouldn't be more than a week or two."

"Do you really want to live in an apartment? With all those loud, annoying neighbors?"

"Not really, but I don't have much of a choice. I don't want to blow through my savings by buying or renting a house. So, an apartment will have to do."

"What if an apartment wasn't your only option?" Emmett asked shooting me a sly smirk.

"What are you getting at, Emmett?" I said with a sigh. "I'm tired, in pain, and starting to get cold."

"Would you like to stay here and live with Alice and me?" He asked in a rush and even redder cheeks.

%

_This story is just an idea I have been kicking around and wanting to write for a while. I hope you like it. Let me know if you love it or hate it. I am definitely open to constructive criticism and suggestions. I have planned and outlined out a total of 14 chapters. I am not sure how often I will be able to update, but I will try to keep them less than two weeks apart. ~__ KaliCali77_

_The hotel Bella was staying at can be seen at www. rosehotel. net (minus the spaces)_

_Pictures of the house are at http:/ www. villa vianci. com/ Just remove the spaces._


	2. August 2012

_**I do not own the Twilight story or any of its characters.**_

_**I just like messing with Stephenie Meyer's characters!**_

**Cheer-Ball: August**

August 14

"Are you sure you are ready to go back to work?" Carlisle asked for the hundredth time while he paced in the living room.

It had been four days since I had hit my head and gotten a concussion. After he had received my medical records from the Eagles' team and cheer squad doctors, he had put me on full house arrest for the whole weekend. The only time I was allowed to leave the house on Monday, I had to have Alice and Esme with me.

"I will be fine. It is just a meeting." I explained again.

"It is a three hour meeting." Emmett mumbled from the other end of the couch. I shot him a glare. "Plus, there is another hour long meeting for programs teachers."

"Emmett! I thought you said you would help me get out of here without a chaperone glued to my side!" I hissed.

"I did, but that was before I knew Carlisle didn't have to work today." Emmett replied in another mutter.

"Traitor!" I spat back at him.

Alice piped up from her perch on the kitchen island. "She starts school on Monday and will have to be there for eight to twelve hours. Plus, she has to start getting things ready to train her squad on Monday. You have to let her go to the meeting. You can be waiting outside after exactly four hours. If she doesn't come out, go in after her."

"I am not a child!" I said loudly with clenched teeth. "I do not agree to that."

"If you will agree to it, I will let you go and I will even bring you lunch. Then, with my supervision, you can work for an hour in your classroom." Carlisle said in a surprise to everyone.

"Since when have you ever listened to my ideas?" Alice asked hopping down from the counter. "You never like my ideas."

"Your ideas are usually centered on using me to find a hot doctor friend of mine for you to date. So, no, I don't normally like your ideas. But this one actually had some logic and forethought to it." Carlisle said placing his hands on her shoulders and slightly chuckling. Looking at me over her head, he asked, "Are you agreeable to Alice's idea with my alterations?"

"I don't want to, but if you are forcing me to agree, I will." I answered grudgingly. Then, with a sly smirk, I said "I have to set my room up today. Are you willing to help me change my room around?"

"Emmett, hurry up and drive faster." I said bouncing in the front seat of his jeep. "I want to get their before Carlisle changes his mind. If I am already in the meeting, he won't run in and drag me out right?"

"Well?" Emmett said, stretching the word into three syllables. I looked at him with a horror-struck expression on my face. "Look, the school is right there. It is a left and then, an immediate right turns. We will get into the meeting quickly. If he shows up, I'll hide you from him, okay?"

"Okay." I said finally settling in the seat.

I hopped out of the jeep ready to get to the meeting. With Emmett keeping up with my pace, we made our way over to the library where the all faculty meeting was set to take place.

When we were about a hundred yards away near the amphitheater, I surprised Emmett. I had jumped behind one of the pillars holding up the small shelter over some picnic tables.

"What the fuck, Bella? Why are you hiding behind a pillar? I don't see Carlisle anywhere." Emmett said completely confused.

"He's not here, but do you see that guy over there?" I said peeking out and pointing to a blonde haired man standing mere feet from the library doors.

"There are about six guys over there. Would you like to be a little more specific?"

"Do you know who the tall, lean guy with wavy, golden blonde hair is?" I whispered.

"Do you mean Jasper Whitlock? He's a good guy. He started here at the beginning of the second semester when the previous band director left on maternity leave. She told the principal in May that she wasn't coming back. He was offered the position permanently." Emmett explained. "Whatever your problem is you better get over it. You two will have to plan the half-time performances together."

"I broke up with him once." I said in a small, dead voice as I watched Jasper Whitlock walk into the library.

Emmett coughed and broke me out of a slight trance. I turned to him and begged. "You have to go distract him. Please, please, please?"

"Whatever. You are one strange woman, Bella Swan." Emmet said before heading into the library to hopefully distract Jasper.

I crept inside the library unnoticed by Jasper, Emmett had him facing away from the doors and toward a collection of posters featuring the Twilight cast reading their favorite books. I snuck up behind him and listened for a break in their conversation.

"I hope the new cheer coach is a hell of a lot nicer and much better at compromising than last year's. That woman, if you can call her that, degraded her cheerleaders, her students, and the rest of the staff." Jasper said with frustration in his southern voice.

The look on Emmett's face became frightening when Jasper mentioned the old cheer coach. He looked like he hated, despised, and was revolted by her all at the same time. But his eyes were the most peculiar part of his face because they were almost the opposite of the rest of his face. They were filled with affection and longing.

The change in his face had shocked and surprised me so much that I almost forgot my plan for saying hello to Jasper.

Jasper continued, "Is it true that the new coach got hurt on campus after tryouts?" Emmett's face changed back to his normal smile and he nodded yes. "Hell, she must not be very good." Jasper muttered dejectedly.

"Even though she is slightly strange, I believe she is better than you think." Emmett said with a sly wink toward me.

I decided now was time to jump into the conversation.

In the sultriest voice I could muster, I whispered in Jasper's ear, "Jasper Whitlock, you have been enrolled in the obscene voiceover of the month club. What would you like me to enhance vocally this month?"

There was a moment of silence, so still you could have heard a pin drop between Emmett, Jasper, and me. I watched both of the men's Adam's apples bob up and down as they cleared their throats.

Finally, Jasper whispered back in his southern drawl. "Well, hell's bells. I think my answer has to be all of my masturbatory fantasies about the one and only Bella Swan."

I giggled at his response. My giggles turned into a loud laugh when he turned, picked me up and spun me around.

"Isabella Marie Swan, what in the hell are you doing here?" He asked, apparently thrilled to see me.

Before I could answer, the principal, Mr. Green interrupted, "Can we all take your seats, please? The faster we get started, the faster we can get out of here."

After two of the most boring meetings of my entire life, Emmett went to the practice fields with his football team. Jasper walked with me to my classroom. He had told Emmett he would stay with me until Carlisle got to the school.

Relaxing on one of my student desks, Jasper started in on me. "Bella, what has been going on? I thought you were loving life off being some hot, Eagles cheerleader. Then, I heard was Jake was going to propose and whisk you off to Italy or Brazil or some other far off place."

"Shit, who in the hell told you all of that?"

"It is more like who didn't tell me. Kate, Garrett, Irina, Laurent, Carmen, and Eleazer all told me at different points during a USC alumni party a few weeks ago." Jasper answered me, still confused.

I hopped up unsteadily from my seat, but I waved Jasper off from coming to help steady me. I paced around the front of my classroom in disgust. "One of the reasons I took this job is it had nothing to do with Jake and no offense, but you are a major connection to him. Please, please promise me you won't tell him where I am." I pleaded.

"I promise I won't tell the scoundrel or anyone that would. If I am being honest, darlin', I never liked you and that guy together. There was just something about him that I didn't trust." Jasper said sliding off of a desk to block my path. "I have never known exactly what happened with you two, but keeping my mouth shut should help keep him from finding out you are here. Now, what is going on? You were one of the hottest, most downloaded, cheerleaders in the NFL."

"I know and I know that I was completely safe while I was there. I decided two years as a professional cheerleader was enough. You know I tried out just to make my dad happy to have one of his kids in the NFL." I reminded him with a smile still on my face. "When I decided to become a teacher, the other gals helped me search the country for a position teaching Italian, Psych, or just as a coach. Frost High had a position that was two out of three. Plus, I get to have one period open for counseling students."

"Well, then, I am happy for you. Plus, I will have to give a big, sloppy, wet, southern, thank you kiss to whoever found this job for you. I have missed you so much." He said hugging me even tighter.

I whispered back, "I think Tanya would gladly accept that kiss. I missed you, too. I just didn't know it until I saw you again."

We jumped apart when a loud cough interrupted us. Whipping my head toward the door, I saw Carlisle and Esme standing arm in arm in the doorway.

"Hey, you two lovebirds. This is Jasper Whitlock, the band director and an old friend from USC. Jasper, this is Esme and Carlisle Cullen, Emmett McCarty's cousins."

After the men shook hands, Carlisle said, "We met once before, I think. At the band's crab feed last spring, right?" When Jasper smiled and nodded his head remembering, Carlisle continued, "It was such a fun evening, even though I was Emmett's date."

I had to ask. "Why did you go as Emmett's date?"

"His girlfriend at the time was visiting family out of town." He started. "Then, Esme and Alice both came down with the flu that morning."

"That sounds like it would have been pretty funny to watch you and Emmett."

"Oh, it was. I even have video of Emmett forcing Carlisle to dance."

"What?" Esme screamed. As she hit her husband's arm, she asked, "Why did I not know about that?"

"I think I can convince Jasper to give me a copy." I said looking at him. Carlisle ran his hand over his face, embarrassed, as Jasper nodded his head in ascent, smiling even bigger now. "Now, as to why the two of you are here. Does this mean I get two workers for the price of nothing?" I asked happily.

"But, of course, Bella." Esme replied with a smile. "This is decorating, even if it is just your classroom."

"I'll leave you to direct your helpers, Bells." Jasper said giving me a quick kiss on my forehead before heading toward the door. "I'll see you on Monday and don't forget to e-mail that wish song list you were talking about as we walked over here."

"Bye, Jas." I said with a wave as he slipped out. Turning my full attention to Esme and Carlisle I said. "Esme, I am leaving the decorating up to you. Just know I am going to need those two comfy chairs we found the other day in the back corner near the windows. Plus, I have to have enough desks for thirty students to be in here and comfortable for a hundred minutes."

"And just what will you be doing?" Carlisle asked with a hint of his doctor tone in his voice.

"I will be e-mailing Jasper my list, finalizing my cheer squad rosters, and possibly posting them." I said sitting carefully in my chair and pulling up to my desk as Esme started laying out a plan for my classroom.

%

August 17

**From: **Jasper Whitlock

**To: **Bella Swan

**Subject:** Welcome to Frost High in the Frost School District, Sassy Lass

It has been a few days since I talked to you. How is your head?

I heard you got to drive yourself in to work this morning, how was it?

I would think you would be happy about it, but you looked serenely irked when you walked past my classroom earlier.

**From:** Bella Swan

**To:** Jasper Whitlock

**Subject: **Frost District sounds like a section of the North Pole

I enjoyed almost pure and absolute freedom as I drove to school this morning. I wasn't perfectly free because while I am now allowed to drive myself in my own truck, Emmett was following me in his jeep. I had guessed that being followed or a ride along would happen, so I didn't argue about it too much. I did make a lot of unnecessary lane changes to piss Emmett off.

**From: **Jasper Whitlock

**To: **Bella Swan

**Subject:** That would be a fun place to live

Is it really such a good idea to piss Emmett off? He could tell Carlisle that you were driving dangerously. He could get you grounded again.

**From:** Bella Swan

**To:** Jasper Whitlock

**Subject: **And why is that a fun place to live?

One: I know where he sleeps. Two: I'll just say he was following too close and I was afraid he would hit me with his too big monster of a jeep.

**From: **Jasper Whitlock

**To: **Bella Swan

**Subject:** Santa lives there!

True, I am glad you don't know where I sleep. But I don't think your excuse of him following too close will work.

Question: Did any of the girls show you the older than dirt school song dance?

**From:** Bella Swan

**To:** Jasper Whitlock

**Subject: **How in the hell are you an adult?

Wait a minute. You are you saying that step, turn, wiggle the pompoms, and repeat thing was the actual dance? I thought the girls were joking with me!

**From: **Jasper Whitlock

**To: **Bella Swan

**Subject:** I could show you

Yeah, I know. No offense to older women with walkers, but older women with walkers can do that. Hell, apes can do that dance and I'm not talking about the smart ones for Planet of the Apes either.

**From:** Bella Swan

**To:** Jasper Whitlock

**Subject: **Jas, when was the last time?

Do you think Principal Green will let me change it if I ask him really, really nicely?

**From: **Jasper Whitlock

**To: **Bella Swan

**Subject:** Heidi at the last USC alumni party

I could sugar coat it, but no. That man is a traditionalist to the very depths of his soul. Plus, if you did change it some of the ladies in the town would be singing your creative talents as they lynched you.

**From:** Bella Swan

**To:** Jasper Whitlock

**Subject: **You have always liked the kinky ones!

Noted, I guess the old standby of it is better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission won't work either.

Jas, I'm a little scared. Can you come walk me out to my truck?

**From: **Jasper Whitlock

**To: **Bella Swan

**Subject:** I've always liked you, haven't I?

One: Is the lynch mob already forming because you thought about changing the school song dance?

Two: I can't believe that old beat up truck of yours still runs.

Three: Give me five minutes.

Ten minutes later, Jasper was leaning casually against the doorframe of my classroom. He appeared there so quickly and silently he could have been a vampire.

"Jasper, you scared me." I said with my hand over my racing heart. "I expected you five minutes ago. What happened? It is not like you to keep a gal waiting."

"I know and I am sorry, Miss. I did not want to be detained, but alas the lynch mob was waiting for me outside of my classroom. I only just barely got away." He said pouring all of his southern charm and wiles into his voice.

I batted my eyelashes and in my best impression of Scarlett O'Hara, I said, "Why, Mr. Whitlock, I accept your apology. But whatever do you mean by saying a lynch mob was waiting for you outside your classroom? You have to be so brave to get away. Are you hurt? Do I need to rip apart my scant shirt to bandage some part of you? Or did those Yankees even get a chance to lay a finger on you?"

"Fucking Christ, Bells! That was absolutely perfect." Jasper said after he swallowed thickly. As he moved to sit on a student desk again, he said, "But no it wasn't the Yankees waiting to lynch me. It was Jessica Stanley, Lauren Mallory, and their mothers."

"Huh?" I said dumbfounded at this surprising information. "Why would they come bug you?"

"They were asking, actually, they were demanding that I, as the band director, persuade you to quickly post the cheer squad roster."

"Why should you be concerned about my rosters?" I asked more to myself than to him. Looking up at him, I said, "No offense, Jas, but all you do for the cheer squad is play our music for halftime. Why exactly did they think should you be concerned with who is dancing to it?"

"Funnily enough, that is the question that I asked them. Mrs. Stanley rambled on and on about how I needed to get 'that woman' to post the rosters so they could hold a practice. Not that they need the practice themselves, but they needed to have the other girls get as close as they could to Jessica and Lauren's standards. The two, who assume they will be captains, want to not completely outshine the rest of the girls when they perform to my band's amazing music."

"Holy shit! I am going to hate this woman, am I?" I asked in a dead voice.

"With a passion, Bells." Jasper said semi-mockingly. Then, with a more somber tone, he said, "Just be glad you only have to deal with her for one year. I have to deal with her for four full years, Jessica's little brother is a freshman in the band."

"Oh, Jasper! I am so sorry." I said rushing over to give him a hug and trying to hide my smile.

She has already demanded that I give him a solo in the first band concert." He pulled back slightly and looked directly into my face. "He plays the tuba, Bells. What in the hell kind of song has a tuba solo?"

I felt bad, but at that point I couldn't contain my laughter anymore. Soon, he was laughing with me. "I bring the booze over after your concert."

"Thank you. Now, tell me why you asked me to walk you to your truck?"

"I am about to post the squad rosters."

"And that requires an escort to your truck?" Jasper asked confused.

"I didn't mark any captains. I wrote a note at the bottom saying I would call them Saturday afternoon."

"Mrs. Stanley is going to go ballistic when she finds out she has to wait for a phone call." I guess the look on my face gave something away. "Wait a minute, Bells. Who are you making the captains?"

"Angela Weber and Lauren Mallory" I said timidly.

Jasper sat thinking for a moment. Suddenly, he said, "Want to go away with me this weekend?"

A cough from the doorway kept me from answering. Jasper and I whipped our heads around to see Emmett standing there. "Carlisle called me when you didn't answer your phone. He said you promised you would be home twenty minutes ago." Then, he walked away.

I dropped my head to Jasper's shoulder. "Shit."

%

August 18

"Bella!" Alice screamed as she bounced into my room at some god-awful time on my last Saturday morning before school started.

While she was prattling on, I sneakily grabbed one of my extra pillows from beside me on my bed. I lobbed it toward the sound of her voice after figuring that she was near my closet.

A small thump and her huff sound made me extremely glad that she and Esme had brought all of my boxes from the storage unit.

Since I had been on Carlisle sanctioned light duty, I had fully moved into this massive house that I had named 'The Villa'. Esme, Alice, and I bribed Emmett with a steak dinner and cake to carry all the boxes from my storage unit.

"Alice, I know Carlisle medically cleared me, but look at the time." I whined when she threw my pillow back at me.

The little, sometimes annoying, energetic pixie just laughed said, "Bella, darling, it is 12 o'clock. Now, get up. Esme and I want to introduce you to a few ladies today."

That got my attention. "What? Alice, what do you mean _'introduce you to a few ladies'_?" I said a little scared of the small woman in front of me as I sat up enough to lean on my elbows.

Alice made to yank my blankets off of me, but I held them to me tightly. "Come on, Bella. You are going to be here for a long time. You need to get to know other people besides us and your students. Plus, it's not like I haven't already seen you naked."

"I am NOT naked!" I shrieked as I threw my sheet, blanket, and comforter off of my body. "See, I am perfectly clothed." I said pointing to my black, spaghetti strap tank and Victoria Secret hot pink booty shorts. "Plus, you said that you would never be mentioned again, especially with Emmett in the house!"

As I was ranting, Alice quickly grabbed my bed linens and pulled them completely off of my bed. She jumped over to my door and chucked everything in her arms into the hallway. She was muttering to herself, "See sitcoms are intelligent. Thank you, Cosby Show!" After turning to me, she said, "Emmett is in his room sleeping like a bear in hibernation. As for walking in on you in the shower and seeing you naked, that wasn't the highlight of my week either." She walked over to me and spun me around by my shoulders as she said, "Go take a shower. I think you can do your own hair and make-up. Your minimalist look will go over well with these ladies. While you are showering, I'll lay out your clothes. These women are very picky about activity attire. Yes, you will have to wear heels."

"But, Alice!" I whined a made a sad, pouty, puppy dog face. "Do you really want to put me under Carlisle's care again?"

"Fine! I will compromise." She said with an exasperated sigh. "I will scrounge and find you some kitten heels. Now, go take a shower. We have to leave at precisely 12:45."

I stepped out of the shower fully awake and wary of what Alice and Esme were getting me into. In the emergency room, I had made Alice promise me not to go all sorority sister psycho on me.

Maybe she thought that I meant that only applied while I was injured. If that is what she thinks, I am definitely reinjuring myself. Today.

After wrapping myself tightly in a large towel, I stepped cautiously into my bedroom. I know they said they wouldn't come in my room unannounced again after Emmett did last Friday and Alice did on Wednesday. I have quickly learned that I would never know with those two.

I sighed seeing that my room was empty of people, but I spotted a medium sized, tall gift box sitting on the center of my bed. It was a gorgeous, satin finished, white box with a wide width ribbon and bow that were of course, teal.

I wondered again if everything in this town was somehow teal. There certainly were several teal accent pieces on the common floor of The Villa.

I carefully opened the box and folded back a top layer of teal tissue paper. I chuckled to find a pair of dark tinted, black, cat's eye sunglasses. Setting those on my nightstand that my father had made, I folded back a white layer of tissue paper to find a pair of dark denim, distressed, cuffed jean capris. I was beginning to get excited about going; no stuffy old women would like denim capris at an activity. Opening the third layer, I gasped seeing a shiny, metallic teal coyote looking up at me from a black background. I picked up the coyote's material and quickly realized that it was a tee with short cap sleeves trimmed in teal.

Seeing that is was already 12:25 over top of the tee, I quickly put on my bra, panties, and jean capris before sitting down to do my simple make-up routine. I threw on my new shirt and the black, low-wedge sandals that had been peeking through another layer of teal tissue paper. I turned from side to side in the mirror to see if the messy side ponytail I had just done looked good enough. On the last look, something on the back of my shirt caught my eye. In the same metallic teal, the back of my shirt said "Swan 77" like a jersey would.

Esme and Emmett came running from the kitchen when they heard me stumble down the last couple of stairs. Emmett lightly grabbed my hand and helped me to stand.

"Well, nothing is broken at least." I said with an uneasy laugh as I brushed myself off. "I told Alice I shouldn't ever wear any kind of heels."

Esme stopped my hands nervous movements and asked, "Are you sure you are okay? We can go without you and take you to an event on a couple of weeks."

"I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm just…"

"A closet klutz." Emmett finished.

"Right. Besides I look the part." I said gesturing to her matching outfit that I was unsurprised to notice. "It would be silly for me to go anywhere else, right?"

Looking around, I noticed someone was missing. "Where is Alice? I thought she said that she and Esme were dragging me off somewhere."

Emmett is the one that answered. "She was too excited. She was bouncing around and threatening to run upstairs and help you to get dressed faster. I had had enough. I picked her up, carried her to Esme's car and strapped her in the backseat about five minutes ago."

"Thanks for that." I said with real gratitude in my voice. Then, with trepidation in my voice, I added, "I guess we go join her and head off for places unknown."

"Bella, don't be so scared. The women we are meeting are nice and only one of them bites." She said smiling as she linked her arm with mine and began to steer me toward the front door. "She only bites her husband. I promise everything will be fine and have a good time. If not, I will take you to get a shake that tastes like you are eating a piece of banana taffy."

"Really? That sounds delicious."

"Oh, it is. I think I am going to get us some no matter what. We'll need one after spending all afternoon with Alice's bouncing."

Laughing at Esme's non joke, I turned to the driveway and gasped. Sitting in front of me was a sleek, shiny black, custom Jaguar convertible with fuzzy teal dice hanging from the rearview mirror.

"Holy crow! Esme, is that really your car?" I asked stunned by its beauty. Then, before she could respond, I said, "Wait a minute. Didn't you drive me to Neiman Marcus in a silver Hummer on Thursday?"

"The Hummer is my work car. I often transport items to and from the warehouse myself. This is my weekend car. Pretty, isn't it?"

"Pretty doesn't cover it." I said breathlessly. Then, Esme and I noticed a struggling Alice in the back seat. We swiftly turned on Emmett.

"What? Esme, you told me to strap her in."

"But I didn't said to bound and gag her."

As he went to free his little sister, he mumbled, "I thought you appreciate the silence."

When we were finally on our way, I kept asking them where we were going, but they refuse to tell me. After a few minutes, my fear of where we were going was confirmed when we pulled into the teacher's parking lot of Frost High School.

"Why are we here? I thought I am supposed to be meeting people besides people at school." I asked with a slight whiney tone to my voice.

"Come on, Bella. Get your butt out of the car." Esme said sternly.

I grudgingly got out of Esme's convertible. "So, what are we doing here?"

Esme and Alice didn't answer. They linked arms with me on both sides and they led me toward the main quad of the school that housed the amphitheater. I stopped short when we could finally see the lower section of the quad. There were about thirty women that all seemed to be in their twenties or early thirties. They were, also, all wearing their own version of my new outfit while milling around on the grass.

Alice jerked lightly on my arm that was still linked with hers. "Come on, Bella. It is time for you to meet the Ladies of Frost."

"Who?" I asked completely confused.

Esme tried to explain, "The Ladies of Frost, we are a very, very exclusive group of women that help clubs and programs at the school with their fundraising. Also, we like to do fun stuff like surprising the staff or just generally sprucing up the campus."

"And we go clubbing in San Francisco." Alice said excitedly as she jumped up and down.

"Right," Esme said with a sly smile. "Now, let's get you introduced to the other ladies. We need to put the grounds keepers to work."

The rest of the afternoon was one big, teal blur to me. I walked around with Esme and another woman because I wasn't allowed to help decorating the staff lounges. The three of us, well mainly the other two ladies, instructed the grounds keepers where to plant all of the teal flowers and the ivy that would bloom more teal flowers in the spring.

I have never been accused of having a green thumb. I really wished I had been able to stay with Alice over in House 4. She would have at least let me sit down and relax for a few minutes by myself. But she and a few other women were decorating the staff lounge and the classroom doors while four other teams did the same in the three other houses and the arts block of classes.

When the beautifying of Frost High School was finally deemed finished, the Ladies of Frost all gracefully got into their cars. After I hopped into the back of Esme's convertible, I learned we were going to be joining all the other ladies for dinner at a local, family-owned, Mexican restaurant.

The woman Esme and I had spent our afternoon with, Bree Tanner-Weber, popped up next to the car and asked for a ride. As she climbed in, she explained why she needed one. "My sister-in-law had to drop me off because my car was in the shop and Riley is off with some of the other men out on the Delta."

I turned to her while trying to rest my head on my headrest. "Why didn't your sister-in-law stay?"

"She would have loved to stay, but she is only a student here. You have to be twenty to join our group." She explained.

"Angela." I mumbled to myself as I straightened my head forward again.

"What was that, Bella?" Alice asked from the front seat.

"Oh, nothing, I just remembered why Bree's name is so familiar. Her sister-in-law is Angela Weber, one of the captains of my varsity cheer squad."

"What? She one of the captains?" Bree squealed. Then, she timidly asked, "Can I talk to you honestly about that?"

I met Esme's eyes in the rearview mirror and she nonchalantly shrugged as she drove. "Sure." I answered with a worried edge to my voice that I could even hear.

"There is no need to be worried about me, at least. I wouldn't be so sure about Jessica Stanley and Lauren Mallory's moms after they find out." She said with a smile. "Thank you for having confidence in her. She is a good at cheerleading, but she is shy and generally gets pushed to the side and forgotten. She has such a great heart and spirit."

"That is exactly way I picked her. I was the same way when I was in high school." I exclaimed with a genuine smile on my face. "She definitely has the heart to inspire. I help she won't hate me when I push her to bring her fully out of her shell. I want her to be able to inspire the other girls on the squad and the rest of the campus, not just when she is cheering along the field, but when she is walking around in between classes. If I can get her to see that kind of power that she already has inside her, she will have a better chance of getting the full scholarship to USC that I overheard her talking to Leah Clearwater and Emily Young about."

"Really? I mean, we can pay for college with the help of loans, but for her to earn the scholarship and go to college on her own merit would be amazing."

"Does she know she is captain yet?" Alice asked as we pulled into a parking spot.

"No, and I don't know how much longer I can keep it a secret." Bree squealed as she got out of the car.

"Actually, she does know. I called her and the other captain a little bit ago." I felt bad because Bree's face looked a little crest-fallen. I rushed an explanation. "I need them to come in early on Monday for a short sit-down with me."

"Oh, well. I had just thought it would be fun to keep a secret from her this weekend." She said before slipping into the restaurant.

After we joined one of the tables of women, I instantly realized that Bree's squealing wouldn't be the last I heard. Under the table, I covertly slipped my cell phone out of my pocket. Within seconds, I got several replies.

_Be there in ten_

_Get me a XXX Grande Burrito_

_Wet with extra sour cream_

_Extra Rice and Beans _

_Carne Asada Nachos_

_XXXL Banana Shake_

The women around the table began ordering, but I had yet to even look at the menu. When I ordered his meal, Esme and Alice's eyebrows raised, but neither said anything.

I wasn't actually surprised seven minutes later when the rest of the table received their food, but I did not get what I had ordered. I guess surprise showed on my face though because Esme leaned over and asked if I needed anything.

"It's nothing. I just didn't get what I ordered." I answered vaguely.

The waitress answered, "You came in with Esme and Alice, honey. Then, you order that meal." After chuckling at my confused face, she continued, "The only person to ever order that exact massive meal just pulled up outside."

I looked around her to see Emmett getting out of his jeep. "I guess that is his food filling the large bag on the counter."

"Right." She said with a smile as the bell above the door tinkled.

Emmett entered the small, but full restaurant and inhaled deeply. "God, I love the smell of Mexican food in the evening!"

"Hey, Emmett!" The waitress called to him. "Your food and your date are ready."

"I'm not…" "She's not…" He and I said at the same time.

Esme put her hand on my arm. "Don't bother. She won't listen. Her husband is an amazing man and she wants to believe everyone is as happy as she is."

"Oh. I am going to go with Emmett. My head is starting to hurt and I don't want it to get worse."

"Do I need to call Carlisle?"

"NO! I mean, no. I just need to go home and relax in some quiet." I replied.

"Okay. He is at home relaxing if you need him."

"Thanks." I said as I gave her a quick side hug. "I'll see you tomorrow." I said a few goodbyes to the table and walked to Emmett.

Emmett leaned over and whispered, "So you couldn't stand these crazy, gossipy, loud, back-stabbing ladies anymore?"

"Emmett, that was rude, but accurate. Now, straighten up and take me home before these ladies get the wrong idea about us."

"I'm taking you home. I think they already have," he chuckled as he led me out to his jeep with one hand on the small of my back and his food in the other.

Just before we pulled away, the waitress came running out and yelling at us.

"What's wrong, Maria?"

"You two forgot your shakes. Esme was excited for Bella to try it." She said handing him two humungous to go cups. "Bella, I don't think you will drink that much, but it can be refrozen or Emmett can finish it. Have a good night you two." She said with a wink and strolled back into the restaurant.

"Get me off of here." I begged him.

After he pulled out onto the street and started home, he jokingly said, "You know all this begging means you are going to owe me something in return soon."

"Shut up and drive, Emmett." I replied before trying the best shake I had ever had in my life. I relaxed and laid my head on his shoulder. "I am so tired and school hasn't even started yet. How in the hell am I going to survive?"

"One day at a time, plus, with the help of friends and several stiff drinks." I looked up at hoping he was joking. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and softly said, "I'm kidding. There are some kids that will make you work hard at liking them, but others will make you work harder just because they are the amazing kids that they are. You'll have good days and bad days, but the good outweigh the bad. Plus, your friends will be there to help you through those bad days."

"Thanks, Emmett."

"Anytime, Bella. Now, let's get home. My food smells delicious." I knew his serious attitude couldn't last for long.

%

August 20

"Bella, are you sure you have my home, cell, and office numbers in your phone?"

"Yes, Carlisle. I have Emmett, Alice, and Esme's numbers too. My first class is coming in, I need to go."

"Okay. Call one of us if anything happens or if you need any help."

"Bye, Carlisle." I hung up my cell quickly as my first few students came in. "Find a place to sit please, just not in the armchairs in the back."

I got the grumbling reaction I expected, but they complied with my request. The class went smoother than I expected. My Italian level 3 class and I were were laughing and speaking Italian in no time. Before I knew it, it was time for them to go to their next classes.

My intro to psych class was boring as hell, even to me. The students were annoyed that they had to take this elective because the ones they wanted were full when they registered. After these first few days of introduction, I will be able to get them more engaged, I hope.

The last period of the day was my open counseling period. Since it was the first day of school, I hadn't expected anyone to come in. I was startled when I heard a quiet "Excuse me, Miss Swan." I looked up to see Angela Weber standing there holding several books in her hands.

Getting up and crossing the room to her, I said "Angela, what can I do for you? Aren't you supposed to be in a class right now?"

She nodded her head and said, "I need you to make me not a captain of the cheer squad."

"I don't think I heard you right. Are you asking to not be on the squad or to not be a captain because you don't think you can handle the leadership role?"

With a passion in her eyes, she said, "I want to be on the squad, please, don't take me off of the squad."

"I won't, I promise. But I don't understand, you were so excited and you had a million and one great ideas this morning. What has happened to make you change your mind?"

"Nothing, I just can't be captain."

"Angela, what is wrong? I can't help if you won't talk to me. By the way, why are you holding all of your books instead of putting them in your backpack?"

Tears began to form in Angela's eyes. "It broke." She tried to say calmly, but failed.

The next morning the entire school knew that Jessica Stanley had assaulted Angela Weber and sliced the bottom of her backpack.

I have no idea how Emmett did it, but he proved right away that his players would respect their cheerleaders. He had arranged for one or two football team members to walk Angela to and from her classes, practice, and her car.

I didn't cut Jessica from the squad, but she did get a week's suspension from the squad to be served after her two day suspension from school. I did warn her if she did anything else or had anything else done, she would not only be gone from the squad, but I would help Angela and her family press criminal charges of harassment.

%

August 25

Before I knew it, the first week of school was over and I was completely drained. I was very tempted to say no to Rose when she called to see if I would go IKEA shopping with her on Saturday. I went though.

"Bella, what do you think about this crib?"

"It's cute, but I think that one that changes into a toddler bed is cuter and much more practical." I said trying to be helpful.

"See, Bella, I told you that you would be perfect helping me with this. You compliment my crazy, pregnancy brain perfectly." Rose said excitedly while giving me a hug.

"Have you thought about colors?" I asked looking over to the wall of comforters and sheet sets as she wrote down the number of the crib I pointed out.

"Edward and I hadn't decided yet. We keep flopping back and forth between neutrals focusing on yellow or green." Rose replied following my gaze over to the wall. "We don't learn the sex of the baby for a while."

"Rose, if I asked you a question would you answer me honestly?" I asked timidly.

I guess my tone surprised her because I had her full attention for the first time since I had met her apartment. "Bella, I always answer you honestly. Go ahead and ask."

"How do you know Esme?"

"Well, Edward used to rent some rooms in Emmett and Alice's house."

"Wait a minute. Alice told me an Edward used to live with them. I just had not made the connection."

"Well, you did have a concussion."

"Is that it?"

"Yes, that's it. Now, let's finish finding things for the baby's room. I am getting really hungry."

%

August 31

"Bella, are you ready for your first football game as a high school cheer coach?" Esme asked walking out to the field with my squad.

"I can't do this. I taught the girls stupid cheers. Everyone is going to laugh at them. Everyone is going to laugh at me and run me out of town. I CAN'T do this." I said starting to hyperventilate.

"You will be fine. I saw you running through the cheers with the girls in the House 4 quad. They are amazing. I always hated those cookie cutter routines that most cheerleaders do. Everything will be fine, more than fine even." Esme said trying to make me feel better. "You have to relax or Carlisle is going to come down here. You won't like it if he does that."

"Okay, I think I'm going to be okay." I said calming down.

Four hours later, my cheerleaders were jumping up and down screaming. Emmett had led his team to their first victory of the year. My girls were also celebrating the fact that they had finally beat another cheer squad in a cheer-off during the game.

All of the sudden, I was covered in cold. I slowly turn around after the ice finished hitting my back and neck. I see Angela and several other cheerleaders laughing at Emmett holding a Gatorade bucket in one hand.

%

_I love Jasper in this story. I hope you noticed that he and Bella were having two conversations in their e-mails. One in the subject line and one in the body of the e-mail. I didn't write him, he just pops in my head and tells me what to type. He helps me with Bella when they interact, too. Emmett will realize that they are just old friends soon, but not before he does something stupid._

_Yes, Rosalie is a liar in this chapter. Bella will find out sooner or later._

_Jessica isn't done with Angela and Bella yet._

_I hope you enjoyed this chapter & you stay tuned. Let me know what you think._

_~KaliCali77_

_Pictures of the house are at http:/ www. villa vianci .com/ Just remove the spaces._


	3. September 2012

_**I do not own the Twilight story or any of its characters.**_

_**I just like messing with Stephenie Meyer's characters!**_

**Cheer-Ball: September**

September 3~

"Bella, What do you think about this one?" Esme asked from across the show room where she and Alice were standing.

I stayed on the plush, comfy couch that I had claimed as my island a half hour ago. "I think I don't need a new bed. My bed works just fine for sleeping."

"You are right that the mattress and box springs are wonderful, but your bed has no head or foot board. You can't do anything fun without those." Alice said looking at me through her long eyelashes. "Esme and Emmett told me there might be a guy at school that you _fancy_."

"Esme, who are you talking about? More to the point, why did you tell Alice?" I said pinching the bridge of my nose.

Suddenly, Esme was right next to me. "I didn't talk to her about him. She overheard me asking Emmett more information about your _friend_, Jasper." She explained. "He is a very handsome man. Plus, you can't help, but to fall for that southern drawl of his."

"But I don't fancy, I mean, I don't like him like that. He is just one of my old college friends. He and I met right before our freshman year at USC. He was one of my high school boyfriend's suite-mate."

"You two looked so cut together when Carlisle and I accidently walked in on you in each other's arms that day we came to help you decorate your classroom before school started." Esme said confused.

"We are just very flirtatious with each other. We have always joked with each other like that. I promise our flirting is completely innocent."

"Hey, are you two gossiping without me?" Alice said appearing next to us on my couch island.

"Not really, I am just trying to convince her to get that one of a kind bed over there. I just love the idea of doing her room in refurbished furniture." Esme said lying to her cousin to protect me. "I think it will compliment the rough, wooden nightstands that her father made for her."

"Sure, I completely believe you." Alice said patting Esme's shoulder. As Esme got up, Alice shot me a glance that clearly said 'I will get it out of you!'

I just rolled my eyes and encouraged the ladies to continue to run around shopping for my bedroom in I-10 Design in LA. I thought they were weird for flying down to Los Angeles for furniture, but I was happy to be here because it was a free trip to a warm beach.

Esme had surprised me with the trip as I shivered on our way home from my first football game. I was still inwardly cursing Emmett for dumping a bucket of cold water on my head. I was very glad I was able to jump out of the way when his team captains, Mike Newton and Sam Uley, dumped sticky Gatorade on his head seconds later.

Esme, Alice, and I had flown down late Saturday morning. We spent most of Saturday afternoon finishing warming me up and getting tan at the beach. I had been told by Jasper about a USC alumni party held basically every Saturday night, but I didn't want to chance running into my ex so I didn't go. Esme and Alice did dress me up again to drag me out to dinner and dancing. Those two were going to end up being the death of me. Sunday we had explored a little bit of the city in the morning and lounged at the beach for most of the afternoon. With nowhere really fun open on Sunday nights, we stayed in the hotel room easting room service and watching pay-per-view movies.

This morning they had woke me up right around the crack of dawn. This was to fourth and hopefully last store we had been to this morning. They seemed more excited here than anywhere else.

"Bella," Esme said breaking my out of my own mind. "We are done her it will be delivered Wednesday. I will need you to make sure you room is ready for me to change things out by tomorrow night."

"I can definitely do that. Are we going home now?" I asked hopefully as we walked out of the store.

"Nope!" Alice said way too happily for my taste. "Now, we are going to Mood Fabrics to pick out the material for your sheets, drapes, and comforter. Are you sure you don't want any teal in your room?"

"NO, I certainly don't. I have enough teal in my wardrobe to satisfy the teal quotient in my room."

"If you are sure, we will steer clear of teal. What colors would you like to have in your room?" Esme questioned as we drove through Los Angeles to Mood Fabrics.

"Can't I just say no teal or pink or animal print or big, goofy flowers and let you two loose on the store?" I asked annoyed in the backseat. The second I finished my question I regretted it. Alice began bouncing in her seat clapping her hands.

"Apparently Alice approves." Esme said sarcastically. "I will rein her in, Bella. I promise."

"Thanks, Esme."

Two, hours later, Alice and Esme were on the phone with a seamstress in San Francisco arranging to bring her several yards of deep purple, pale blue, and sage green fabric. She told them she should have my comforter, three sets of sheet, and drapes done by next Wednesday.

"Are we going home now?" I pleaded.

"Bella, our flight isn't for another five hours." Alice said turning around to look at me in the back seat. "Do you realize how much clothes shopping we can get done before we have to be at the airport?"

For the next few hours, I zoned out and imagined being at the beach again as they dragged me from designer shop to designer shop. I almost jumped for joy when Esme said it was time to head to the airport.

%

September 7~

Even though I was having fun spending time with Emmett on the bus going to an away game, I couldn't believe I was riding on his football team's bus. I couldn't believe my cheerleaders had to ride on the same stinky bus as the football team. I was desperately wishing for my high school days when the cheerleaders had a van to ride to away games in.

"It's is not that bad is it, Bella?" Emmett said as he leaned over to talk to me. I guess my displeasure at the situation showed on my face.

"Sorry, I was just thinking about all of the fun times I had riding with my squad in high school." I said rearranging my features into a small smile. "Some of the best times I had in high school were in that van. No guys, just a bunch of girls laughing and blasting music. We were a little crazy, mooning the team's bus every once in a while, but…"

Emmett cut me off. "Please stop there." He said with a heavy breath.

"What's wrong?" I asked. I looked around to make sure my cheerleaders were still in the front few rows of the bus and hadn't snuck past me to sit with the football players when I had been daydreaming.

"Nothing. I… I don't… I just don't want the students over hearing and getting any ideas." He said stuttering and looking anywhere, but at me.

"Oh."

"So, are you really going to make your girls do push-ups during the game again tonight?" He asked stumbling in a way that made me think he was desperate for a subject change.

"You didn't seem to have a problem with it last Friday night." I said teasingly and poked him in the ribs. "Did they distract your guys from playing their best?" Between being kidnapped to Los Angeles and both of us being really busy at school this week, he and I hadn't had a chance to say more than a quick hello.

"No, I don't have a problem with it. Plus, I think my guys got ego boosts from it. I know the assistant coaches and I respect them and how hard they are working this year." Emmett said seriously.

"Really?" I said turning to stare at him.

"Why would I lie about that?" Emmett responded.

I threw my arms around his neck and said, "Thank you. Thank you so much. You have no idea how much that means to me. I have been fighting with people my whole life that cheerleaders are more than just eye candy."

As Emmett chuckled and hugged me back, I heard a couple of his assistant coaches coughing and chuckling at us.

Clapp slid his foot across the aisle and kicked Emmett's shin. "Watch the show in front of the students."

Together, Emmett and I said, "There's no show."

%

September 13~

"I don't know who you are or why you are calling, but I will not hesitate to kick your ass when I find you." I said to whoever had dared to call my cell phone at thirteen to four in the morning.

"Now, young lady is that the way you speak to your dear, old dad?" My dad said with a chuckle in his voice.

"Daddy! What's wrong?"

"Noth…"

"Did you get shot?"

"Bella…"

"Did you or Harry pull a Dick Cheney?" I asked in a rush as I jumped out of bed and began pacing my room.

"Bella…"

"Give me a few hours and I will be there." I said grabbing a bag out of my closet. "I'll book a flight and rent a car."

"BELLA, I'm fine!" He said finally breaking through my rant. "I called to say Happy Birthday."

"What? Why in the hell are you calling me so early?" I asked as I sank onto the floor.

"Don't I always call you at 3:47 in the morning?"

I sighed, "Yes, but somehow every year I hope you would forget about the minute I was born and call me at some normal hour. Dad, why can't you call at a normal hour?"

"Now, Bella, that wouldn't be fun." He said chuckling. "Plus, I don't know when or if I will have a chance later on today."

My anxiety quickly shot back up to panic level. "Dad, what is going on?"

"Nothing much. Today just happens to be bonfire day at Forks High. If what has already happened this is any indication the reservation boys are going to start some trouble. Now, it is just a matter of when it will happen."

"What has happened so far?" I asked seeing as my father was the police chief and would be the one to stop them.

"The cheerleaders were kidnapped during practice last night. They were tied to a stake in the bonfire pit and they were found around midnight."

"Shit! I really hope Frost doesn't have any football rivals like that."

"Bells, I hope so to, but I have to go. Billy Black just texted me saying that he just saw some of the boys from the reservation heading toward Forks." My dad said a little distracted. "Happy Birthday, Bells. Get some more sleep and have a good day."

"Since when did you and Billy learn how to text?" I said crawling back into bed. "Bye, Dad. I love you. Go get those reservation boys. I'll call you on Sunday."

"Bye, Bella. Love you, kiddo." Then, he was gone.

I closed my eyes and instantly fell asleep. My brain tried its best not to dream about when Jake and his friends from the reservation kidnapped me and the rest of my squad in high school, but it was very unsuccessful.

Hours later, I woke up to the smell of bacon, eggs, and fresh biscuits. Before I even opened my eyes, I smiled and said, "Esme, thank you for breakfast and for not letting the two people I live with help."

She chuckled lightly, I wouldn't force you to eat burnt and egg shell-filled food on your birthday."

"So, what does Alice have planned since you wouldn't let her cook with you?" I asked slightly scared of the small pixie who had quickly become one of my best friends.

"I think you are safe from her until after practice tonight." Esme said chuckling. We heard Alice jumping up the stairs toward us and humming the 'Happy Birthday' song complete with Cha, Cha, Cha 's. "Now, remember I said I think."

Alice popped into my room and skipped over to my bed. After landing next to me on my bed and stealing a piece of bacon off of my plate, she said, "I had nothing to do with it."

"Nothing to do with what?" I asked skeptically.

"With what happened to your truck."

From outside my room, I heard Emmett yell. "Traitor!"

"Let me guess, the big goof out there gave my keys to the football team and/or the cheerleader and the decorate it inside and out."

"It was just the football team." Alice said around her piece of stolen bacon. "Your girls have something else planned. Shit! I wasn't supposed to say that."

"I promise to act surprised. It's not like you told me what their plan is." I said before taking a bit of my own piece of bacon.

"Okay, Alice. We need to let Bella get ready for work. It sounds like she has a busy day of surprises ready for her." Esme said leading Alice out of my room. She shot me a wink and a wave before she closed the door.

I dressed quickly hoping to get outside with enough time to clean off my truck before I really had to leave.

I stopped short when I got outside and saw my truck. I took my time walking around my baby to take in everything that the football team had done for me. The windshield was covered in long stem teal roses while Happy Birthday and the team signatures covered the rear window. The two door windows were stick figure drawings of cheerleaders cheering, doing a couple of different pyramids, and push-ups. The bed was filled with black pompoms surrounding teal ones spelling out SWAN.

Inside the cab of my truck, they had stuffed it with tons and tons of teal, black, and silver balloons. I was a little leery of opening the door until I saw that they had tied all of the strings to my gear shift. I opened the door and the balloons started rushing toward me. I could feel Emmett, Alice, and Esme's eyes on me through the front living room window.

Acting quickly, I shoved my bag over to the passenger seat and then, untied the balloons. Leaving my truck door open, I ran with the bundle in my hands up to the front door. Surprising my watchers I locked and dead bolted the door. I made it to Emmett's jeep and I could hear him yelling no through the windows above the door. Remembering all of the knots my dad had taught me while I was going up, I used half of them to tie the balloons to the roll bar of the jeep.

Emmett made it to his jeep as I jumped off of the other side. I ran to my open truck door and fell inside. As I scrambled to sit in my seat correctly, I turned my key in the ignition. After slamming my door shut, I waved innocently to Emmett, who was still standing next to his jeep and shaking his head.

Thankfully, most of the school day was normal with a few students saying happy birthday as they walked into the room. I think the only reason they knew it was my birthday is because Emmett had had to explain millions of times why his jeep was tied with balloons. He had e-mailed to complain about it many, many times.

Right before the last period of the day, Jasper popped his head into my classroom. "Hey, Swan, can you come out here for a minute, please?"

"Hey, Whitlock, no." I said from my chair that I had just sat in for the first time in several hours.

"Swan, do you have to make it difficult for me?" Jasper whined.

"This is the first chance that I have had to sit down today. I really need to sit for a couple of minutes."

Jasper slowly jogged over to me and pulled me out of my chair. He laughed quietly and said, "You don't want to miss this." Gripping my shoulders, he pushed me out of my classroom.

I stepped outside and the entire band began to play What a Girl Wants by Christina Aguilera.

"Jasper, I love it! Thank you so much!" I said as I laughed so hard I had tears streaming down my face.

"I am glad you like it." Jasper said smiling and hugging my shoulders. He leaned over and whispered in my ear, "Just don't expect me to sing."

"Whitlock, you singing would make this the best birthday present ever!"

"No, I will not sing." Jasper said with finality in his tone. Then, standing in front of me, he flourished his hand, "I will, however, ask you to dance."

I stood there until he said, "Beautiful and radiant Miss Swan, would you do me the honor of a dance?"

"All you had to do was ask." I replied with a cheeky smile and gave him my hand.

He spun me around the quad to the cheers of the congregated students. After signaling his band to play the chorus one more time, he picked me up bridal style and carried me back to the chair he had pulled me out of.

He started to leave the room, but he looked back at me and winked. "I told you years ago that I would get you to dance again." Then, he and his band disappeared back to his classroom.

When I made it to practice my girls had the weight room decorated with tons of teal and black streamers and balloons. The squad and the football team jumped out and yelled surprise causing me to jump back into Emmett, who had walked in right behind me.

He chuckled and caught my fall. "You can't leave your own party, Bella." He whispered in my ear.

I laughed with him and righted myself. "Why would I ever want to leave a party of high school kids, veggie trays, and fruit salad?" I said looking around at the room.

"Be nice. They thought you would like that better than cake." He whispered in my ear causing goose bumps to appear on my neck. "Now let's get done with this party and a light workout so Alice, Esme, Carlisle and I can take you to dinner."

"I was being nice. I love that they, or I should say Angela, came up with doing healthy food over junk food. I knew I liked that girl." I said back. Pulling away from him, I said, "You and your family don't have to take me out to dinner for my birthday."

"We know, but we want to. Now, go enjoy your fruit because I really want to get to my steak soon." He said laughing and lightly pushing me toward the students.

Angela quickly grabbed my arm and pulled me into a giant group hug. Once everyone was surrounding me they sang Happy Birthday so loudly that I had to cover my ears. Everyone broke into laughter at the end of the song because Mike Newton and Tyler Crowley had broken off from the rest of the group and finished about five beats behind.

Angela and Lauren continued laughing as they led me over to the snacks table. Tentatively, Angela asked, "Did you like the surprise?"

"Of course," I said as she handed me a plate. "You two and the rest of the squad did a great job decorating. Plus, you had the genius idea of healthy snacks. You two know me way too well already."

"We are not done yet!" Lauren said before signaling one of the guys to press play on the DVD player.

I gasped when my old squad from the Eagles popped up on the screen. They were all dancing and singing along with the birthday song. They ended in lines that spelled my name.

The camera zeroed in on my best friend and former co-captain, Tanya Juno. "Bella, sorry we could be there today, but we will be there in November and we will party then. Plus, we are giving you and your squad tickets to the game! See you soon."

Most still rather new friends insisted on not telling me where we were going until we got there. Alice had picked out a simple, stone colored, convertible dress that I chose to wear in a deep v twisted style with an open back. It looked amazing paired with a cobalt blue, fake crocodile clutch and stone colored peep toe kitten heels.

In Carlisle's 2012 Mercedes-Benz R-Class crossover, the five of us made our way to the local BART station. They were all laughing at me bouncing in my seat. I was excited to go out to dinner, but I was even more excited to ride BART for the first time. After they finally got me to on and off of the train, we ascended the stairs to the street and I realized we were at the Union Square station in San Francisco.

"Emmett and Carlisle, please forgive me." I said quickly before turning to Alice and Esme. "Ladies, I know that there is a Tiffany's somewhere in Union Square. I know you know where it is. Please, take me there."

Alice leaned around me and said, "Emmett, you owe me fifty bucks."

Esme rolled her eyes at her cousins, linked her arm with mine, and pointed to the familiar, pale blue, shop sign. "It is right over there, Bella. I promise one day you, Alice, and I will come and spend hours there. I'll even make an appointment so we can have our own personal assistant."

"Ladies, can we start walking? We do have a reservation to keep." Carlisle said with a smile after he cleared his throat.

Alice collected her winnings from Emmett and joined us as we began walking toward an unknown to me restaurant. "I knew you were one of us."

"What do you mean one of us?" I asked a little scared of the pixie-like woman attached to my arm.

"A Tiffany's gal, silly." She said laughing and waving her free hand around. Esme and I quickly joined in her laughter

After a short early fall walk, Carlisle steered us into Macy's and then, onto the elevator. We could all tell something wasn't sitting right with Esme. Once off of the elevator, Carlisle stopped us in front of The Burger Bar.

Esme gave her husband a questionable look. "Carlisle, dear," She said in a chilling tone. "This isn't the restaurant we talked about."

"I know, but I talked to Alice after I talked to you. She said that when you three were unpacking Bella's stuff she found a picture of Bella with the owner, Hubert Keller. Bella told Alice that he was one of her favorite chefs and she loved his Burger Bar restaurants."

"Really?" She said looking at Alice and I. We both nodded our heads quickly. "If this is what Bella wants, let's go dig in. I love this place, too. But next time you change plans," she said poking her husband in the chest, "tell me before hand, so I don't get my stomach set on something else." Then, she proceeded inside.

The rest of us burst into laughter as soon as the door closed behind her. After she turned around inside to glare at us, we calmed down and followed.

After the server took our orders, Esme thought it would be best to distract me. "Bella, we know you aren't big into receiving gifts, so the four of us got together with some of the Ladies of Frost and your cheer squad parents to set up a small scholarship fund for Frost High cheerleaders."

"Really? That is amazing." I said completely taken aback.

"I have seen those girls working so hard. Plus, I know that many guys at the high school are trying to get stronger because your girls can do more push-ups than them." Carlisle said with an amused tone.

I had to laugh at that.

"You laugh now, but my guys stay after practice for twenty minutes to work on theirs." Emmett added.

After a laughter filled meal of a buffalo burger on a sourdough bun, we left the restaurant and headed back to the BART station. Esme told me as we rode that she had a homemade cake and ice cream waiting at home.

I didn't get to enjoy it until after the game the next night. The last thing I remember about my twenty-fourth birthday is Emmett carrying me to my bed and gently laying me down.

%

September 19

I walked into the weight room and wasn't surprised to hear Jay-z & UGK's Big Pimpin' bouncing off of the walls. I made my way over to the majority of my cheerleaders, who were having a difficult time getting their strength work out in.

"Girls, I know the guys are hilarious when they sing along to the music, but you still have to get you workout done." I said trying to keep a straight face myself.

Angela gasped out through her laughs. "If you had heard Coach McCarty singing right before you came in, you wouldn't be able to keep that straight face you are fighting to keep!"

I couldn't keep it in anymore. I burst out laughing remembering catching Emmett dancing around the kitchen, making the sandwich, and singing along to Lady Marmalade two nights ago. "I understand." I said through my laughter. "We still need to get back to working out."

The squad began to make their way back to the machines and bars while still laughing. I was impressed with how well my girls had taken to the workout and practice schedule I had created.

Well, most of them had taken to it.

Jessica Stanley had again chosen to flirt instead of working out. She was fluttering around the football captains, Mike Newton and Sam Uley. She was so obvious with her flirting that the freshman football team was snickering and making fun of her. To make her case worse, she was beginning to piss Emmett off because she was distracting his captains from their work out.

My laughter stopped and in what I hope was a calm voice, I said, "Jessica, I need your help over here."

Sarcasm dripped from every syllable as she said, "In a minute, Coach."

"Jessica, I need you to come spot me." I said straddling the bench seat of the bench press.

I watched as she hip bumped Sam out of the way and took his position as Mike's spotter. "I can't right now. I am spotting Mike. You wouldn't want him to get hurt if I leave him in the middle of a… a set, would you?" She said smirking, not realizing I could see her.

I saw Emmett start to open to open his mouth, but I shook my head and stopped him. I almost laughed at the open mouthed fish face that he ended up making.

"Jessica, give Sam his position of being Mike's spotter back before Mike gets hurt because you can't lift the wait that he can. Then, get over here. I'll go light on the weight today so you can be my spotter."

She huffed and took her sweet time getting over to me.

As I started pressing the weights, I asked her if she remembered that she is still on probation with the squad.

"I thought you were joking about that. I am the best cheerleader you have. You can't possibly be thinking about kicking me off of the team."

I dropped the weight back onto the stand and sit up. "Jessica, I want you to hear me loud and clear. If it wasn't for Angela and Lauren begging me to let you stay on the team, you would already be gone. I have no more patience for your antics. You need to get with my program now or you can leave and turn in your uniform by the end of the school day tomorrow."

Lauren placed a calming hand on Jessica's arm. "Can I talk to her Coach Swan?"

"If you think you can get her to use her common sense, be my guest." I said waving them away. Emmett came over and sat on the bench beside mine. As he handed me a bottle of water, I said, "Don't you dare say I was too hard on her. I have been a thousand times nicer to her than every cheer coach I have ever had."

"That thought hadn't even crossed my mind." He said holding his hands up defensively. "I was going to congratulate you on not screaming at her. She would have flooded the room with her tears if you hadn't shaken me off."

"Maybe that is what she needs, a nice dose of cruel reality." I said glancing at Lauren talking to Jessica on the other side of the room.

"I think what you did plus her best friend talking to her is the best combination. She'll straighten up." He said standing up again. "I just hope she doesn't go bat crap crazy again when it is homecoming time."

"Shit! I mean, Crap!" I said giggling. "I hadn't even thought about how that could be a major problem."

A few minutes later, Lauren led Jessica back over to me and nudged her into action. "Jessica has something to say to you, Coach Swan."

I looked at Jessica with a calm, but authoritative expression on my face.

"Coach Swan, I would like to stay on the squad. I really don't know what has been wrong with me. I am not normally this much of an annoying, selfish bitch."

"I understand. We all get that way sometimes." I said reassuring her. "Just make sure it doesn't interfere with my squad again. If you ever need to talk, don't hesitate to come and talk to me, alright?"

She nodded her head, and then followed Lauren over to finish the workout with the other girls.

"For that you get a glass of wine and a back rub from me when we get home." Emmett whispered in my ear behind me causing me to shiver.

%

September 24

"Darlin', is this seat taken?" Jasper asked in his southern drawl in my ear. Emmett scoffed on the other side of me.

"Actually, this seat is reserved for the sexiest southern man I have ever met." I said ignoring Emmett and turning to smile sweetly at Jasper over my shoulder.

Jasper kissed me on the cheek before moving to sit next to me. "You flatter me, Bells."

Before he could sit, I put my hand on the chair. "I said the sexist, not second place. This seat is reserved for Harry Connick, Jr."

"Really? You had to say him, didn't you?" Jasper said staring at me flabbergasted. Recovering quickly, he gently picked my hand off of the seat. After kissing the back of hand, he slid into the seat and said, "I guess, I will just have to dote on you even more to become number one."

Emmett interrupted our playful interactions with some over dramatic fake coughing. Jasper and I turned to him. "Sorry," he said unconvincingly. "I think I am going to go sit next to Clapp. You know, so I can talk to him and the other assistant coaches about some football things during the meeting." Then, he got up and walked across the library to where his assistant coaches were sitting.

I looked from where he was now sitting to Jasper, who looked just as confused as I was. "What was that about?"

"Not a clue, Bells. I bet he just thought up a new play to trick the Panthers on Friday. Don't worry about it. Unless, you did something wrong at home?"

"No, I didn't do anything wrong. Actually, I made all of his favorite breakfast foods for brunch on Sunday." I said defensively.

"Bells, is there something I need to know about you and Coach McCarty? Do I need to start reigning in my natural southern charm around you from now on?" Jasper asked playfully.

"No, mine and his relationship is nothing like that." I said hitting him in the chest. "He and I are just friends. I felt bad about filling his jeep with the silver, black, and teal balloons and roses on my birthday. So, I made brunch, you know I always apologize better with food."

"His jeep was the most gorgeous jeep I have ever seen." Jasper said trying and failing at keeping a straight face. A minute later, the rest of the staff were staring at Jasper and I gasping for breath as we laughed loudly.

Mr. Green started the meeting and I immediately wanted to fall asleep. To keep ourselves awake, Jasper and I played tic-tac-toe on our agenda sheets. Occasionally, we would listen or write down a song we wanted to try with the band and cheer squad.

When the meeting was over, I tried to catch Emmett's attention, but he got himself quickly into a conversation with one of the other science teachers.

Jasper placed his hand on the small of my back and led me to my classroom. "You'll see him at home. Guys are moody sometimes."

"Are you sure? He is a really great roommate and friend. I would hate to lose him and his whole family over something stupid and that I don't even understand." I said before leaving him outside my room.

%

September 29

I was taking a long, relaxing bath at one in the afternoon on the last Saturday of September. Occasionally, I would turn the tubs jets on, but for the past ten minutes I had been too lazy to more my hand and push the button.

I jumped in the water when my cell phone buzzed on the tub surround. I chose to ignore it. Thirty seconds later, my phone buzzed again. I rolled my eyes and dried my hand so I could pick up my phone. It was just Jasper, I would read it later.

As I sent my HTC Inspire phone back down, it buzzed again. It was another text message from Jasper. I sighed and decided to read them.

_Darlin', are you busy tonight?_

_I want to go dancing._

_We haven't been since USC._

_I'll take you on BART again!_

_I can always call Heidi._

_She'd hop a flight for some dancing._

I quickly found his name in my contacts and pressed call. After our phones connected, I rushed to say, "Don't you dare call Heidi up here. You better plan on riding in a cab home because I refuse to ride on the BART Drunk train! So, what time are you picking me up?"

"I promise I will get a taxi for us to come home." He said laughing. "I'll be there about seven. Then, we can grab a bite to eat before we go."

"Perfect." I said with a smile in my voice. "Okay, I have to get out of my bath now or I will still be all wrinkly when you get here."

"Are you seriously calling me from the bath tub, Bella?"

"Uh-huh and it has jets."

"You truly enjoy torturing the male population, don't you?" He asked with a small groan.

"Bye, Jasper." I said innocently.

I was sitting on the couch in the front living room still wondering if what I had chosen to wear was right. It took me a while, but I decided to wear the same dress from my birthday dinner only tied like a strapless dress along with a pair of emerald green, comfortable, ballet flats. I kept glancing at the time on my phone and praying Jasper would miraculously appear any second. Emmett was sitting on the other living room couch facing me. He was pretending to read the newspaper, but I knew he was actually staring at me over the top.

Trying to break the silence, I asked, "Where is Alice tonight?"

"She is out with a few Ladies of Frost. She won't be home until tomorrow."

That didn't help much. "Did she say anything about another meetings or activities anytime soon? I haven't been able to go to one since before school started."

"She didn't tell me." He said shortly. Then, we both heard a rumbling coming up the driveway. "What is that?"

I ran to the window to see what the noise was. Suddenly, Jasper broke through the trees riding a Harley Davidson Fat Boy Softail. I started laughing loudly. I had never imagined Jasper on a motorcycle; I had only ever seen him in a regular, four-door car.

"Well, that is ostentatious." Emmett said from behind me.

"Be nice. He is your friend, even if you haven't talked to him for a week." I said getting aggravated with him. I could see Japer taking his helmet off and swinging his leg off of the bike out of the corner of my eye as I turned to look at Emmett. "What is your problem lately? You have been moody all week. If you were a girl a guy like you would say you were on your period."

"I'm just having a bad week. Give a guy a break." He hissed through his teeth before storming out of the house and to his jeep.

I heard Jasper say hi as they past each other, but Emmett just kept walking. Jasper stopped and stared after Emmett. Once Emmett had driven off in his jeep, Jasper shook his head and finished coming into the house.

"Bells, are you here?" Jasper asked cautiously from the foyer.

"I'm in here, Jasper." I called back standing and straightening my dress.

He stepped into the doorway and automatically leaned against it. "Hells, Bells! What are you trying to do? First, you call me from the tub and now you are dressed to kill!"

"You look pretty good, too." I said smiling as I walked over to him. Linking our arms, I asked "Shall we go?"

"Are we taking your ancient truck or my cool motorcycle?" He asked making a pouty face when he mentioned me truck.

"I haven't been on a bike since I left Forks last, so I say bike all the way to the city. Just let me grab a jacket." I said excited for the night.

When we pulled into the underground parking in Union Square, I was completely excited. After hopping off of the back of the bike, and handing Jasper the helmet, I said, "Feed me please!"

"I thought it was guys that are always supposed to be hungry?" He said taking my hand and leading me up the stairs to the street.

Knowing he could see me out of the corner of his eye, I pointed to myself and said, "Raised by a single dad, who hunted and fished every chance we had."

"Also, you won that hot dog eating contest for Greek Week sophomore year." He said helping my case.

"Exactly, but now I want a hot dog." I whined as we finished crossing the street toward the giant Macy's. We slipped into the Macy's entrance. "What are we doing? I thought we were going to eat not shop."

"Patience, Bells." He said pulling me into the elevator. After we rode to the top of the building, we stepped out to The Cheesecake Factory restaurant.

"How did you know that I loved this place?" I exclaimed.

"Bells, you forget so easily. He that I won't name used to complain about coming here all the time at the house."

"I still can't believe that you were in the same fraternity as him. You are so much better." I said going to my toes to lightly peck his cheek.

We were quickly shown a table. We laughed at each other when we both ordered their chicken picatta and iced tea as soon as the server arrived. As we began eating, I became more and more aware that Jasper was becoming more and more agitated and tense.

"Okay, spill." I said dropping my fork, leaning back in my chair, and crossing my arms over my chest.

"It's nothing, really." He said shrugging his shoulders before popping a bite of chicken, noodles, and capers in his mouth.

"Do you really think that answer is going to cut it?" I asked frustrated.

"I read a text message from Emmett as we walked to our table."

"And?"

"And I don't understand that guy."

"What did the message say?" I asked getting more curious and beginning to eat again.

He held his phone up for me to see _Is your DATE fun?_

"I don't get it either. One, he seemed so pissed that we were going to the city tonight. Two, this isn't a date." No response.

"This isn't a date, right?" No response. I dropped my fork again. "Well, hell."

"It's not what you think, Bella." Jasper said stopping me from standing.

"Then, explain it to me and explain quickly." I said threw my teeth.

"Emmett kind of said that you liked me, but didn't want to screw things up."

"Asshole!" I said under my breath.

He reached across the table to grab my hand, but I crossed both of them back across my chest quickly. "Bella, I had a crush on you at USC, like most other guys. I wanted to see if we had any romantic thing now before I said anything to you."

"You should have talked to me." I said slightly relaxing, but not uncrossing my arms. "I would have told you Emmett is bat crap crazy. I like you as a friend, a good friend, but that is it. Also, even if I had romantic feelings for you, after the past three years, I can't handle it."

"Really?"

"Really, Jasper. Can we go back to being just flirty friends again?" I asked with a little hope.

"There is nothing I would like better." He said visibly relaxing and we both started eating again. When we were almost finished, he asked, "Do you still want to go dancing?"

"Not really, I just want to go home." I said hoping he would understand.

Jasper did a fake, exaggerated wince. "I hope you don't kill Emmett."

"I won't kill him. I may maim him though." I said with a small smirk.

Fifteen minutes later, Jasper and I parted ways at the underground Union Square BART station. I texted Esme and asked if she could meet me at the station closest to our houses. I tried to relax to the rest of the ride after she agreed.

Esme pulled me into a rib crushing hug as soon as I got to her car. She could tell that I didn't want to talk, so she sang rather loudly along with the radio as she drove me home. When I started to get out of her car, she said, "If you need to talk, I'm right here."

"I know." I said with a small smile before getting out of her car and walking across the expanse to the bigger house.

I walked into a completely dark foyer. As I walked toward the kitchen, I flipped the hallway switch.

"SHIT!"

"Fuck!"

I turned to where the cussing was coming from to see Emmett zipping up his pants while some bottle blonde pulled down her skirt and covered her exposed breasts.

_Author's Note~_

_Sorry I didn't update on Monday. I had to take my daughter to the minor injury clinic. She is okay, she just sprained her wrist. I didn't update on Tuesday night because I had to coach a volleyball match and I was exhausted when I got home._

_Anyways, I am trying to write a month per chapter. Some will be longer and some will be shorter. I hope you liked this chapter. Yes, I love the Union Square and Theater District of San Francisco. I would live at the San Francisco Macy's if I could. _

_I had fun retelling a memory of mine when Jasper had the band play for Bella's birthday. Let me know what you think (I send previews to those that review). See you in a couple of weeks (or every other day if you follow my Bella & Edward drabble, MaskAWho). ~KaliCali77_

_PanUchiha7105- I hope you aren't pissed about where the preview ended up coming from. If you are, blame my boyfriend he picks the preview._

Pictures of the house are at http:/ www. villa vianci. com/ Just remove the spaces.

Bella's birthday dinner & dancing dress: http:/ shop. nordstrom. com/ S/ twobirds- convertible- jersey- dress/ 3231350? origin= category & resultback= 2776#/ 1

Alice's birthday dinner dress: http:/ shop. nordstrom. com/ s/ trina- turk- fallyn- one- shoulder- silk- minidress/ 3282030? origin= category& resultback= 1457

Esme's birthday dinner dress: http:/ shop. nordstrom. com/ s/ guilia- embellished- mixed- media- v- neck- sheath- dress/ 3278757? origin= category & resultback= 1457

BART= Bay Area Rapid Transit (like the L train in Chicago or the subway system in New York or London or Berlin)


	4. October 2012

_**I do not own the Twilight story or any of its characters.**_

_**I just like messing with Stephenie Meyer's characters!**_

**Cheer-Ball: October**

October 6

"Earth to Bella!" Rose said in a sing song voice.

"What?" I said shaking my head and turning to look at her. "Sorry, I kind of spaced out there, didn't I?"

"It's okay. I understand. You have a lot of things going on right now. With Homecoming, the county cheerleading competition, and the infamous Cullen-McCarty Halloween party, you are one busy gal this month." Rose said with a smirk on her face.

"Don't remind me." I said sarcastically. "Please, don't remind me."

"It will be okay. I promise." Rose said giving me a side hug. Letting me go and turning back to browsing through the rack of dresses, she said, "If it doesn't, just ask Esme to make you some brownies. Hers are amazing. Have you had one yet?"

"She and I made some together on Sunday. They just might be the best things I have ever eaten." Rose stopped looking again and stared at me for a moment. "What?"

"Esme, as in Esme Cullen, let you bake with her. As far as I knew, not even Alice is allowed to help her in the kitchen."

"She and I cook dinner together all the time. But on Sunday, she was feeling sorry for me. I walked in on something no one should have to see."

"Ooh, I love gossip. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me!" She said grabbing my arm over the display and jumping up and down in the middle of Macy's. I looked at her and then, her hand on my arm like she was insane. "Please, tell me! I work with priests, nuns, and people so shy they barely talk to their students let alone me. Please, I need gossip."

"You are slightly pathetic sometimes." I said looking at her over the dress rack with a grin. "I'll tell you, but you have to promise not to scream."

"Oh, it is screaming worthy." She said clapping her hands and then, leaning on the rack. "I promise to behave, mostly."

"Last Saturday, I went out to dinner with my old college friend Jasper. I came home earlier than expected and I accidently walked in on Emmett with some dumb blonde in the living room."

After a short pause, Rose frowned and said, "That doesn't sound so bad."

I could feel myself beginning to blush at the memory. "It is when you happen to see a flash of Emmett's white ass and have to hear him zipping up his pants."

Rose covered her mouth trying not to laugh, but was unsuccessful. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to laugh, but Emmett's ass is the main reason Edward and I spent most of our time together at my apartment."

We were silent for a few beats and then, we both burst out laughing.

Wiping the tears from my eyes, I said, "Aren't we supposed to be shopping?"

"Right, let's get back to shopping." She said turning her attention back to the rack.

We were quiet for a few more minutes while I looked through the dresses and Rose added more to the pile for me to try on. I jumped when she gasped and dropped the twenty or so dresses unceremoniously to the floor.

"What is wrong, Rose? Did the baby kick for the first time or something?" I asked rushing to her and placing my hand lightly on her small baby bump.

"No, the baby is fine, Bella. It's been kicking for a couple of weeks now. Look at that dress. It is absolutely perfect for you." She said reverently before walking over to it.

"It's nice." I said stepping up beside her.

"_It's nice._ Seriously, Bella?" She said grabbing one of the dresses in my size. "The silver rhinestones over the field of navy will emphasize your amazing, but not too big chest. The navy asymmetrical skirt is elegant and it will still show off your muscled legs. Not many dresses can do both."

"I am going to be in a room full of high school students. I don't really care what I am going to look like. Actually, I think I would prefer not to emphasize my chest. The male students already do that enough."

She rolled her eyes and forced me into a dressing room. After I stepped out of the small room in the dress, she began gushing over me. "Bella, you look amazing. No guy is going to be able to keep his eyes off of you."

"Again, that is not really what I want to hear." I said rolling my eyes.

"Whatever." She said huffing at me. "But I am sure those single dads that chaperone the dance will be wanking to your memory afterward."

I turned to walk away from her and toward the dressing room as I exclaimed, "Ewww! Nope, now I am not getting this dress. There will be none of that happening to a memory of me."

"Oh, Bella, I am afraid that it has already happened."

I blanched to myself and turned back to her. "What do you mean?"

"Why did you go out with Jasper?"

"Emmett put some wacky idea in Jasper's head that we liked each other. Why?"

"Then, Emmett picked up some random bimbo at a bar?"

"Yes, are you going to get to the point anytime soon, Rose?"

"That is what he does. When Emmett likes someone, he pushes them toward others to protect himself. Then, he tries to bang that girl out of his memory."

"Oh. OH! Fuck me."

"He'll want to in that dress!" She finished bringing back her sing song voice.

October 12

"Are you ready for this, guys and gals?" I asked to the audience watching the Frost High television station in their homerooms.

I looked over at the student crew and the camera followed my gaze when they started drumming on anything they could. I cut them off by slicing my hand across my throat.

"Without further ado, The 2012 Homecoming Court: the Freshman Prince and Princess, Amun Hapi and Kebi Tauret; the Sophomore Prince and Princess, Benjamin Montu and Tia Satet; the Junior Prince and Princess, Peter Odom and Charlotte Curry; the Senior Prince and Princess, Sam Uley and Emily Young." I announced as I played Vanna White and showed off the couples standing opposite the crew in the studio. "Well, congratulations to you all."

Then, I started to walk away from the camera. All of the students, in the studio and probably in the classrooms started screaming at me to come back.

"What? Do I have a run in my stockings?" I asked innocently.

One of the girls on the television crew ran up to me and tugged on my arm until my ear was at the same level as her lips. She whispered, "Ms. Swan, you didn't say who the King and Queen are."

"I didn't. Well, I guess that means all of you will have to show up to watch the parade tonight at 6pm." With a short wave, I walked off camera and back to my classroom.

Jasper arrived a few seconds after I slouched down into my chair. He laughed loudly as he said, "You almost cracked! I thought you were going to spill it to Kim and force her to jump up and down with her when she came up to talk to you." He sat down on the floor and leaned back against the side of my desk.

"I almost did. Do you think that would have been so bad though?" I asked nudging him with my stiletto heel.

"Yes, that would have been a bad thing. I would have had to be a witness against Esme at a murder trial." He said laughing. "You and Esme have been planning this since the beginning of school year. Plus, you two got Principal Green to go along with it. All you had to do was convince whoever was voted Queen and King to go along with you. They both loved the idea and it will only be a few more hours until it is over." He said trying to reassure me, yet again. "Everything will go great tonight. I am going to pick those two kids up and bring them to Esme's house. Did you two get the float finished?"

"Between Esme, her two assistants, Alice, and myself, we got it finished about ten o'clock last night. I still can't believe Esme was able to get her hands on that many different types of teal flowers."

"Are you sure no one besides the King, Queen, Esme, You and I know who will be riding in the big float tonight?" Jasper asked making me worry slightly.

Shaking my head clear of those thoughts, I nodded and said, "Alice knows, but Esme's assistants don't. At school, the vote was last week and I have called all candidates into my classroom and none of them have a clue who is getting picked up or that you are the one that is going to picking them up tonight."

"Are you sure about the vote?"

"You know what, girlie, I just might fudge it and make someone else Homecoming Queen!" I said exasperated. "If you question me one more time, you might not look so good tonight. I might I will yank every single one of the curls Esme worked to put in your hair."

"I'll behave. I promise. I am just so excited." She said quickly backtracking and then, spun around. "Plus, I absolutely love this dress."

"Of course, you love it. It is beautiful, long, and fitted while still showing off your gorgeous, toned, and tan legs."

"They do look pretty good, huh? Bree and Riley paid for me to get a few tanning sessions when I was nominated." Angela said with a large beautiful smile on her face. "That was a weird experience; I will be getting real tans for the rest of my life."

Esme had just gotten back from checking on the float in the front yard and said, "I prefer real tans, too. Though that light tan of yours makes the beaded flowers pop even more against the white organza." Esme grabbed Angela's hands and held them out. "God, I would kill to look as good as you in a tight dropped waist dress. If someone made me wear a wedding dress again, I would have to have it full and wild like that asymmetrical skirt. Hint, hint! Bella, didn't you say your dress has the same shape of skirt?"

"Really?" Angela squealed as I nodded my head.

"Calm down, Angela." I said dramatically covering my ears. "Haven't I told you one of the reasons I like you so much is because you don't squeal?"

"Sorry," she said with an I'm-not-sorry-at-all air. "I just feel like this, all of this is just such a wonderful dream."

A male voice behind her said, "Would you like me to pinch you to find out if you are dreaming?"

Angela, Esme, and I turned to see Ben Cheney walking down the steps from Esme and Carlisle back porch. I think all of our jaws dropped.

Ben stopped on the bottom step and looked down at his body. "Did I forget something? I put on everything that was in the box. Please, don't tell me I look like a big dork."

"No, Ben," I said a little choked up. "You look extremely handsome."

Esme quickly handed Angela a tissue. "Don't ruin my make-up job."

I squeezed Angela's bare upper arm and whispered, "We will give you a couple of minutes. Remember, we have to take a few pictures and leave soon. Now, go give your boyfriend, I mean your King a kiss." Then, Esme and I linked arms to walk around to the front of the house.

Emily, Tia, Charlotte, and Kebi were fussing with their dresses when we pulled up in the regular and giant size cars. They saw me first and ran to me. I couldn't distinguish who was saying what, but I could tell they were very excited and in love with their dresses.

I laughed as I said, "I guess I did a good job picking out your dresses. Believe me, it wasn't easy finding a dress style and color that would look good on all of you without you there."

"Well, does it look as good as you thought it would?" Emily asked as Sam held her arm above her head to help her slowly spin around.

"You all look gorgeous in those silver organza bubble dresses." Esme said joining the group. "Bel… Ms. Swan, did they actually have the teal sashes on hand?"

"No, but Alice is surprisingly good with a sewing machine." I said earning a shocked look from Esme.

"I can't believe my cousin has been holding out on me." She said thoughtfully. Shaking her head, she said, "Can I get a couple of you boys to help the Queen into the float?"

The members of the Homecoming court turned to see Angela and Ben standing next to the float that Esme, Esme's assistants, Alice, and I had built. The girls ran screaming at Angela and enveloped her in a many armed hug. The guys walked over to Ben to give him high fives.

After all the hugs and congratulations, Charlotte loudly said, "I wondered why you contacted my dad's dealership to borrow only four, black convertibles. I thought you would have needed to borrow five."

During the parade, the Princes and Princesses rode sitting on the back seat of the four black convertibles behind the sports teams' float. The Queen and her King were riding in a giant, teal flowered, float replica of a 1963 Ford Falcon. Alice had helped me out by making two banners with their names on it to drape on the sides of the fake car.

Everyone in the crowd was first shocked by the remake of the car and then the 2012 Frost High Homecoming King and Queen. I could tell that all of the teens were having fun laughing and waving to the crowds as we were being driven through the streets of Walnut Creek.

The crowd was ecstatic. Angela and Ben seemed to grow more confident and excited as the crowd gasped and cheered for them. They looked so happy and cheesy holding hands as they waved to the packed sidewalks.

Esme and I were giggling while riding right behind Ben and Angela in a white, real 1963 Ford Falcon convertible. Esme leaned over to me and whisper shouted, "The surprise King and Queen are a hit. I think this is the best and highest attended parade Frost High has had in years. Great job, Bella!"

"Did I make too big a deal of it?" I asked second guessing my plan again. "Homecoming was always a huge deal when I was in school. I just wanted to give someone else the amazing experience I had. Are you sure I didn't overdo this whole thing?"

Jenks, the older driver/owner of the Falcon answered, "This is how it was back in my day. I am glad to see some pomp and circumstance brought back with some new twists. Keep up the new ideas, Ms. Swan."

Jenks drove us straight to the stadium. He parked in front of the Queen and King's float so he could drive their guardians out to the field during halftime.

Esme and I hopped out of the car grudgingly.

"It was so comfy and warm." Esme whined.

"Come on, Esme. It is not cold out, it is 70 degrees out. I love the car, too. We have more to do. Plus, I have to check on my cheerleaders."

The first half of the game was amazing. The team appeared to be working seamlessly and had the score at 30 to 7. Emmett picked me up and spun me around as he ran off the field toward the locker room. When he put me back on my feet, he laughingly said, "Tag you're it!"

After the team cleared the field and surrounding track, Principal Green stepped to the microphone. "Good Evening, ladies and gentlemen! It is my great pleasure to introduce the 2012 Homecoming Court." As he read the names of the Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior princes and princesses, the couples rode on the back of the convertibles through the stadium. They rode in front of the home stands and up onto the field where they were helped out of the cars by their parents. Their parents lead them over to where Esme and I were standing. I gave them each a hug before Esme and I placed their crowns on their heads.

Then, Principal Green announced Angela and Ben as the Queen and King. The crowd went wild as their guardians came out in the car that Esme and I had ridden in. The noisy crowd rose to their feet and in volume when the large car float started around the track.

Bree and Riley almost couldn't help Angela off of the float because of her dress and the tears in their eyes. Thankfully, Ben and his father stepped back to the float to help.

All the females in our little group on the field had tears in our eyes when I carefully place the crown in Angela's curls while Esme crowned Ben.

If possible the crowd became even louder as Ben's the football team back onto the field and surrounded the group of school royalty. Suddenly, the court was up on the teams shoulders laughing their heads off.

The rest of the game was fast paced and amazing. Three touchdowns and many push-ups later, Emmett and his team ran off the victorious and to a roaring crowd. The cheerleaders came over to me on the side of the track, laughing.

"What is so funny, girls?" I asked a little warily.

"Nothing much, we just realized that Jessica is right about our dresses for tomorrow night." Lauren said to answer me.

"What did you say, Jessica?" I asked looking around at the group. I didn't see her. "Where is she?"

"She split right after the game." Katie answered. Then, she mumbled, "She should have left after halftime with how much cheering she did."

October 13

Knock. Knock. Knock.

The door opened and a very disgruntle Mrs. Stanley appeared in the doorway. "What do you want, Ms. Swan?" She sneered at me.

"I came to check on Jessica. She left so quickly after the game last night. I had wanted to talk to her." I said trying not to cower under the other woman's gaze.

"She is in her room getting ready for the dance." She barked at me. "I'll ask her if she wants to talk to you, but I doubt she will."

"Thank you." I said as she slammed the door in my face.

Moments later, I was about to walk back to my car and leave when Jessica opened the door. She stepped outside in a bright orange robe with immaculate hair and a gorgeous make-up job.

"Ms. Swan, my mom said you wanted to talk to me about last night." She started sheepishly. "I know I left quickly and I wasn't very good that second half, but I just couldn't be very cheerful. I just couldn't."

"I just want to make sure you are alright." I said sitting down on the top step of her porch and motioning for her to do the same. "I'm not mad. I understand things happen, but no one can help if you don't talk to us."

She sat down next to me and sighed. "During halftime, Eric Yorkie from FHTV came up to me and said he had evidence that Mike is cheating on me."

I pulled her into a side hug. "Oh, Jessica, I am so sorry that Eric did that to you. I will be having a talk with him about that. But there is a bigger problem in this situation, what to do with the information he gave you?"

"I could kick Mike in the nuts!"

"Let's try the innocent until proven guilty approach first. Do you have your cell phone on you?" She pulled it quickly out of her pocket. "Duh, you are a teenage girl. Call Mike and talk to him. I can stay with you if you want or I can get your mom or get Lauren here real quick. Just tell me."

"Lauren is inside." She said waving her phone at the door. "Thanks for coming to check on me, Ms. Swan." She gave me one more hug before heading inside and I headed home to get ready myself.

I arrived at the school to a couple of wolf whistles from Jasper and a couple of single dads. There weren't any kids here yet so I acted a little stupidly and did a little sexy walk and trailed my hand along the slick lines of Esme's convertible.

Jasper played dramatic and placed his hands over his heart as he walked over to me and said, "Seriously, Bells. You should have been a Playboy Bunny." Then, he whispered, "Don't do that again or a couple of those dads might have a heart attack."

I slapped him playfully on the arm before linking mine with his. "Take me inside, Jasper. I need to shimmy."

As we started to walk, he said, "I definitely think you should be behind the refreshments table. It is high and will cover most of your body."

"What? I was looking forward to making kids separate because they are dancing too close." I whined. "My teachers in high school always seemed to have fun doing that."

"If you have that job, the guys are going to be dancing close to the girls so you don't see their boners from the way you look."

"Really? Is it that bad?" I shrieked.

"It is not really that bad. You look beautiful and Emmett hasn't taken his eyes off of you since we walked into the gym."

At the end of the dance, I was exhausted and laughing at the kids dancing to the last song of the night, YMCA.

Ushering the kids out and getting a few hugs, I walked over to where I had parked Esme's Jaguar convertible. I came to a dead stop when I looked up and saw her car wasn't there anymore.

"Shit!" I whispered as I started to cry. Then, I heard it echoed behind me.

I spun around to see Emmett running up behind me. "Bella, I tried to catch you earlier. Esme tried to call you, but it went to voicemail. Carlisle car broke down and she left the Hummer in her warehouse. Alice drove her out to get her Jag. She asked me if I could give you a ride. I will if you want me to or you can go ask Jasper." He rambled and sputtered out.

I didn't speak. I just motioned with my hands for him to lead the way to his jeep. I didn't want to talk, partly because I was still teary and partly because I still didn't know how to talk to him.

The whole ride home, he kept talking. "I was surprised at what a good dj Jasper is." "Mrs. Cope's cookies were definitely better than the store bought ones they had last year." "I am really happy for Angela. After losing her parents last year, she needs more happy good things, like you, in her life." "I think we should have a barbeque soon before the weather turns bad."

I took off my heels as he drove up the long drive. When he stopped at the house, I quickly hopped out. He said my name and I quickly turned around to face him. "Would you stop? How can you keep prattling on like nothing happened? Just leave me alone!" Then, I escaped into the house.

October 15

"Alice, how are you, dear?" A female with a strong Irish accent said when the ringing stopped.

"I'm good, Marme."Alice said in a chipper voice. "I aced all of my mid-terms and as long as I don't completely fail my final exams. I will pass my classes this semester with A's. Everything is set for me to graduate in May."

"You are not working yourself too hard are you, sweetheart?" She asked Alice in a concerned tone.

"I'm working myself just hard enough. I promise." Alice said as she turned to me and rolled her eyes. "I get all of my work done during the week. On the weekends, I find time to have some fun. Next Friday, Bella, Esme, Bree, and I are having a girl's night in."

"Poor Emmett and Carlisle," Alice's mother, Siobhan, said laughing.

"Actually, they will be fine. It is a bye week for Emmett, so he is going out with a few friends from the Raiders. I think Carlisle is going to be working in the emergency room."

Siobhan laughed loudly again. "I am sure Carlisle asked to work on Friday."

"He didn't just ask, he begged to work that night." Alice said curling up in a ball on the couch. "I believe he remembers all too well the last girl's night we had when you were here over the summer."

"The poor lad was traumatized seeing us skinny dipping in the pool."

Alice and I burst out laughing at that statement.

When our laughter died down some, Siobhan asked, "Alice, who is there with you?"

"Hello, Mrs. McCarty. It's Bella." I said leaning over toward Alice and her phone.

"Bella, how many times have I told you to call me Siobhan? How is my family treating you?"

"They are wonderful." I said nudging Alice with my shoulder. "Plus, with my klutziness, it is great that there is a doctor nearby."

"I have heard. Just don't let those lads bully you into going to the hospital too much." She said in a slightly stern tone.

"I won't." I promised into the phone.

"Bella isn't even talking to Emmett right now." Alice chimed in unhelpfully.

"I am talking to him." I said, but Alice gave me a look. "Fine, he is talking to me and I am using basic hand movements toward him."

"Well, I am sure he was just being some big, dumb, oaf." Siobhan said in response to her daughter tattling on her brother.

"Bella caught him fooling around in the living room!" Alice screamed before clamping her hand over her mouth. My mouth dropped that she would actually tell her mother that.

"You have done that before. You know that would make anyone not really want to talk to him." Siobhan said plainly. "Bella, just try to have him make it up to you by Christmas when I visit. If he doesn't, let me know and I will swat him."

October 19

I slammed the front door behind me as I stormed into the house. I hopped over to the stairs as I undid the straps on my heels.

I called out to the house at large. "Give me five minutes to change and then, I am catching up!"

The three slightly tipsy women in the family room could only giggle in response.

After throwing a black tank top on over my black lace bra and pulling on a pair of Victoria's Secret sunshine yellow fleece crop pants, I scampered back down the stairs. I flopped exhaustedly onto the couch with Bree.

Bree turned toward me and with a devilish smirk said, "Hey, Gorgeous! It's been a while. How was the county cheerleading competition?"

"It was a long, exhausting, peppy day. I forgot how competitive some coaches and moms can be. But I am all prepared for the next one."

"You, Angela, and the rest of the girls won?" Bree squealed in my ear as she flung her arms around my neck.

"Of course, they won." I said finally, looking at her and then, over at Esme and Alice, who were sharing the other couch. "How many have you ladies had? I asked you not to start without me or at least wait until I had texted to let you know I was on my way home."

"The distance between Discovery Bay and here is longer than one might imagine." Esme said trying to help.

"Yeah! Plus, it's snot… not our fault your competition ran long." Alice said even more inebriated than Bree.

"It's snot our fault? Really, Alice?" I asked looking at her like she had two heads. "I think you need to be cut off, at least until you get some food in you."

"I waited until you texted you made it back to town." Esme said chiming in again.

The other three of us looked at Esme and yelled, "Kiss Ass!" at exactly the same time. She could only smile innocently and shrug her shoulders in response.

"I have a student or two like you and all I want to do is give them referrals for annoying the hell out of me."

"If Angela is one of them, give her one. She might learn how to stand up for herself better if she had a detention once in her life."

"Okay, enough about your gym, school, college and high school, and my interior decorating business." Esme said pointing first to Bree and then to Alice and myself. "I'm sure the four of us can find something better to talk about."

After a minute of silence, Esme opened her mouth again. Alice cried out though before Esme, "No more sex talk about your husbands. If I have to hear about my cousin-in-law's favorite positions again I might kill you. Think about it, I am drunk and my aim will be just a bit off, so it will be a long, slow painful death."

A few more minutes of silence pasted before I threw my arms up in a huff. "We are seriously pathetic!" They all whipped their heads around to look at me. "We are four young, intelligent, good looking, and happy women, right?" They nodded in agreement. "Then, why in the hell can't we find anything to talk about besides our jobs or your married life's?"

"Being single sucks!" Alice said in frustration. Then, more to herself than two us, she said, "I wish I could find that guy."

Esme grasped onto the straw. "Alice, what guy are you talking about?"

Alice threw her head against the back of the couch. "I don't know what guy. Sometimes on the weekends, I see him driving around on a Harley Davidson huge thing. We locked eyes at a stoplight almost weeks ago and I haven't been able to stop thinking about him since."

I choked on the fruity martini that Esme had just handed me. "You are talking about some guy on a Harley that you only see on the weekends?"

"Yes, I believe that is what I said." Alice said back sarcastically.

I started busting up laughing. "Oh, my god, that is hilarious."

Bree took the drink I was about to spill out of my hand. "Bella, would you care to share with the rest of us?"

I shook my head no, and then with a breathless amused voice said, "You all will find out soon enough. Emmett is going to laugh when he hears about this."

"Fine, since you won't spill what you know, what about you?" Alice snapped back. I quickly sat back against the couch. She could turn from funny and nice to mean and snarky at the drop of a hat normally, but it is worse when she is drunk.

"We know nothing happened between you and Jasper. Are there any other guys that tickle your fancy?" Esme asked after taking a long sip of her drink.

Trying it get them off that topic, I said, "My dear Esme, why do you turn British when you are drunk?"

Bree saw right through my attempt. "Nice try, Bella. There is someone you like, isn't there?"

"No, there isn't. At least, I don't think there is." I said taking my drink back from Bree and staring at the cherries sitting in vodka. "Even if there was, I don't know if I want there to be someone or if he wants me."

"What the hell is all of that psycho babble?" Esme asked drawing my eyes to her.

"Nothing..."

"All of that bat crap wasn't "nothing"." Alice countered putting air quotes around nothing. "Who has got your panties in a bunch? Again, we know it wasn't that Jasper guy."

I chuckled at Alice mentioning Jasper. "Sorry, it really is nothing. I think Rose just likes to mess with my head sometimes."

"How did Rose mess with you head?" Bree asked completely confused.

Finally wising up, Esme said, "You told Rosalie about what happened after you got home from your date with Jasper."

"I didn't go on a date with Jasper, or I didn't know I was going on a date with Jasper." I said throwing up my hands. "Yes, I told Rose that I caught Emmett in the living room with his pants down. What is it a big problem that I did?"

"Yes and no."

"Wait a minute." Bree said as she stood up and stepped in between Esme and me. "You told Rose, Rosalie Hale, about catching Emmett with his pants down? I just can't believe you are friends with Rosalie Hale after what…"

Alice cut her off by clamping a hand over her mouth. "Bree, please stop saying that name." Then, she whispered something else in Bree's ear.

"Does Emmett really think him saying the subject is mute that Bella isn't going to find out someday?" Bree questioned. Esme and Alice exchanged a glance and then, looked at me before nodding yes. "He knows that it is incredibly stupid, right?" The cousins nodded their head yes again and Bree flopped back onto the couch.

"What am I missing?" I demanded.

Bree spoke again. "Ask Emmett. Sorry, but I am not having two of my friends mad at me for telling you. Mute, seriously."

"What does any of this have to do with me being friends with Rose?" Then, something dawned on me. "Does any of this have to do with Rose having to have a paternity test after the baby is born?"

The entire room froze. Alice, who was still standing in the middle of the room, broke the ice. "On that lovely note, should I put a movie in?"

"What are we going to watch?" Esme and I said together.

"It is just one of my favorite movies!" Alice said with a squeal.

A few minutes later, the four of us were sitting around with fresh drinks and enjoying the beginning of The Princess Diaries. We quickly got our good moods back as the drinks were drunk. We sang along with some of the songs, Alice kept doing the Superman pose whenever the Supergirl song came on. I fell off of the couch when Bree and Alice sang back-up for Esme portraying Mandy Moore's character's Baker Beach Party song, Stupid Cupid. At the end of the movie, we all tilted our heads and said the obligatory "Awe!" when Michael kissed Mia in the garden and her foot popped turning on the lights.

As the credits began to roll Alice grabbed her phone to order some pizza and breadsticks and we all forcefully reminder her not to order a Skittles pizza.

We started watching The _Princess Diaries_ 2: Royal Engagement while we waited on the pizza. Bree actually fell off of the couch when Alice answered the door and said, "I was hoping you would have a goatee." We quickly devoured the cheese, pepperoni, and mushroom pizza while laughing at the crazy antics of Mia Thermopolis and the rest of the characters.

During the Bachelorette Party's mattress surfing scene, Bree got a wonderful idea which turned into a horrible idea. She sneakily picked up a throw pillow and threw it into Esme's face. This action, of course, had to be retaliated. Soon an all out pillow fight had erupted in the middle of the living room, which would have been fine except that is when Emmett decided to come home.

He stood in the doorway for a moment watching the four of us laughing hysterically and pillow fighting with each other in our pajamas. We were in tank tops and sweats to be exact, I was thanking God that none of us were in anything more embarrassing.

He finally got Esme, Alice, and Bree's attention by saying, "If I ignore my sister and cousin, I just walked into a Penthouse Forum dream."

After a second of two of shocked silence, we began ganging up on him and pummeling him with the pillows. We swiftly got him down to the floor. We were laughing as we continued to hit him until I accidently got knocked to the floor by Bree's elbow.

That is when thing went bad, I mean truly bad. As I fell, I hit my shoulder hard against the end table and screamed out in pain. The four of them stopped immediately and dropped the pillows in their hands.

Esme rushed to my side and cradled my head in her hands, but her eyes were on my shoulder.

Alice helped Bree get to the downstairs bathroom because she was going to throw up at the sight of my now slightly mangled arm.

Emmett grabbed a small couch blanket from under the end table and quickly fashioned it into a sling.

Esme shook her head no at him and said, "Go get one of her bigger scarves from the closet the blanket is too thick." I looked up at her slightly shocked because I knew she had had more than I did to drink. "Someone getting injured is a sobering thing."

Emmett came back with a new sling made from my orange scarf. I winced as he slipped it on me to support my arm until Carlisle could pop it into place. I looked at Esme and smiled. "Look, I am a Tequila Sunrise!"

Emmett laughed with Esme and said, "Your truck, my jeep, or an ambulance, Miss Sunrise?"

"NO! I mean no ambulance. You are never driving my truck again. I guess we have to take your jeep." I said scowling.

Esme helped Emmett help me out to the jeep after she had slid some flip flops on my feet. She, apparently, was inebriated again because she couldn't keep her stray thoughts to herself. "It's a good thing you kept on your bra when you changed." "Remember, don't do anything I would do." "Remember, you're not sure so don't let this guy talk you into anything."

As soon as she shut the door and stepped back, Emmett pulled out. "Bella, what in the hell was my cousin going on about? What does she think I will talk you into?"

"It's nothing." I said giggling.

"Whatever."

"Why haven't you tried to talk to me since I found you in the living room fucking a dumb blonde?"

"I wasn't fucking a dumb blonde. I was making out with a dumb blonde."

"Whatever." I paused and then, asked, "Why did you tell Jasper that I liked him?"

"Because I thought you did." He answered quickly.

"He is a friend!" I said waving my injured arm for emphasis. "He is my friendy, friend, friend. He is my friend from college."

"Your alcohol is kicking in again, isn't it?" He said chuckling.

"Shut up! I've had to lose a lot of friends and I am not losing him for your ego." I said poking him in the arm with my usable hand.

"Okay, I won't ask you to." He said pulling up to the hospital. He yelled out of his door. "Carlisle, it is time to do your job."

An hour and a half later, Emmett and I were leaving the emergency room. He helped me into his jeep and buckled my seat belt. As he leaned over me, I giggled like a school girl.

"What?" He asked, tiling his head to look at me. Taking in my trying-not-to-laugh face of a scrunched mouth and watering eye, a look of fear crossed his face. "Bella, are you okay? Do I need to take you back into Carlisle?"

I shook my head; finally I couldn't hold it in and laughed. "You smell nice."

"You are very drugged." He said back. "What did Carlisle give you?"

"I don't know, but it is very fun." I laughed again. Then, I grabbed his shirt tightly and pulled him close. "Alice likes Jasper, but don't tell her I told you."

"Do you really think that I can keep that information to myself?"

I released him as I fell back against the seat and winced. "Just don't tell Jasper and tell Alice you heard her talking in her sleep."

"Seriously, how much medicine did Carlisle give you?" Emmett asked after running around and jumping in the jeep.

"Just enough, well, enough that I wouldn't punch him when he popped my shoulder back into place." I said with a sly smile.

October 31

"Bella, are you going to come down before the guests arrive?" Alice bellowed up the stairs.

"NO!" I yelled back through a cracked doorway. As she grumbled something, I closed my bedroom door and looked at the full length mirror standing near the closet. I check out my costume again. To myself, I said, "Why didn't I go shopping with Alice and Esme? They wouldn't have talked me into not buying a costume and wearing one of my old belly dancing costumes. I am going to murder Rose Hale!"

It isn't that I looked bad in my costume, actually I looked rather hot, but it showed more skin than I had gotten used to showing. Granted the black, sheer, handkerchief shirt is longer than my old cheerleading skirt. It actually goes down to my ankles, but it had numerous slits all the way up to the coined hip band. The silver coin top was completely to revealing, so I had put on a black bra underneath.

Plus, the entire outfit just looked smashing with my arm in a sling. I slightly hated on Carlisle that he was making me wear the sling. He had logic on his side, so it wouldn't be bumped, but I still didn't like it.

I jumped and spun around when someone cleared their throat from the doorway. "Jasper! You scared the shit out of me!" I gasped.

"I thought I was invited to a party, little lady." Jasper replied, laying into his accent. He was dressed as a cowboy, like he did every year at college.

"Really, Jasper? Are you ever going to try a different costume?"

"If it isn't broke, don't fix it. Plus, it works with my accent and God given charm." He explained. He made me giggle when he tipped his hat at the end of his explanation.

I giggled at his confidence. "Speaking of your accent and God given charm, there is someone I would like you to meet."

"Now you are setting me up?" He asked skeptically.

"Kind of, but not really. She has seen you riding around town on your motorcycle." I explained as I crossed the room to him. "She said she locked eye with you at a stoplight once and just knew she would meet you one day."

He thought for a moment "Are you talking about a short woman with short black hair and honey colored eyes?"

"That's Alice." I answered cheerfully.

He gulped. "Alice, as in Alice McCarty?"

I nodded and then, tried to reassure him as we left my room. "Emmett is okay with it as long as he doesn't have to hear or see you two going at it." After we go down a few stairs, I stop and ask, "Didn't you see Alice when you came in?"

"That was her standing at the other end of the hallway in the kitchen?" He said tugging on my arm to get me down the stairs.

Three hours later, the party was in full swing. I kept looking over to the living room couch, where Jasper and Alice had been sitting since the moment I introduced them. They had locked eyes as soon as Jasper and I stepped off of the stairs and barely heard me say their names before they were in their own little world.

Between Esme and me, we had kept Emmett away from them so they could talk and really get to know each other. That job was getting progressively harder since Emmett was trying some diversion tactics of his own. So far, I had been introduced to three Raiders players: running back Darren McFadden, kicker Sebastian Janikowski, and tight end David Ausberry. I liked talking to all three of them, but I had the most fun teaming up with Ausberry against McFadden, Janikowski, and Emmett. Trojan Alumni tend to band together.

When Matt Leinart arrived, I had a surprise of my own for Emmett. I saw Leinart walk into the room out of the corner of my eye and Emmett headed in my direction.

I smiled and waved at Emmett and then flew into Leinart's arms.

He grunted and said, "Who the hell are…"

I whispered in his ear. "Matt, it's Bella Swan. Want to play?"

"Well, Bells, I am always ready to play with you! How in the hell have you been?" He asked with a chuckle as he squeezed me tighter.

"I'm good. It is a good thing I remembered that you are always up for catching a pretty girl." I said laughing with him. I leaned in to whisper again. "You can put me down, you know?"

"Nope, it is more fun to watch the vein on Emmett's forehead throb." He said helping my legs wrap around his waist. He pulled my chest closer to his to stop me from trying to cover my now fully exposed legs. "Still modest, huh? I never did believe Jake when he talked his shit in the locker room."

"The name is not allowed in this house." I said poking his chest.

"Sorry, if it helps. I punched him in an alley when we played against the Seahawks a few weeks ago."

"Crap, thank you, but crap." I said giving him a one armed hug. "I can't believe even you heard about that."

"You know that USC alumni are a big network of gossip. I'm surprised I hadn't heard you moved to the Bay Area" He said slightly seriously. "Is there somewhere we can go talk?"

"Only you, Ausberry, and Jasper know I am here. I have asked him to, but please make sure David keeps it that way." I said as I pointed him in the direction of my bedroom.

_Author's Note~_

_Sorry, this took a few extra days to update. It is irking me that injuries, real life, and work keep going chaotic the couple of days I am trying to put the finishing touches on each post._

_I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Most of the things Bella planned for Homecoming were taken from my high school in Illinois._

_I am not trying to injure Bella in every chapter, but I just have to sometimes. I thought her hurting her shoulder was ironic because I wrote that part the day before I injured my own._

_I am really trying to only use Twilight names. The Freshman and Sophomore Princes and Princesses are the Egyptian vampires with Egyptian gods' names as their last names. Peter and Charlotte's last names are the last names of the actors playing Peter and Charlotte in Breaking Dawn Part 2._

_I did use actual Oakland Raiders names though. To get some player names, I had a little twitter chat with Nolebucgrl (If you like football stories check out hers, First & Ten http:/ www. fanfiction. Net /s / 5874934 /1/ First_ Ten Just remove the spaces)_

_Pictures of the house are at http:/ www. villa vianci. com/ Just remove the spaces._

_Bella's Homecoming Dress: http:/ www1. macys. com/ shop/ product/ b- darlin- dress- sleeveless- sweetheart- rhinestone- asymmetrical? ID= 642440& CategoryID= 42812& LinkType= #fn= sp% 3D2% 26spc% 3D188% 26ruleId% 3D25% 26slotId% 3D_

_Bella's Halloween Costume: http:/ www. miss belly dance. com/ Belly dance_ Costume_ Set_ p/ cs44. htm_

_Angela's Homecoming Queen Dress: http:/ www. davids bridal. com/ Product_ Organza- and- Tulle- High- Low- Gown- with- Beaded- Flower- SPK470_ Bridal- Gowns- Shop- By- Designer- Galina- Signature_

_The Homecoming Princess' Dresses:__ http:/ www. Davids bridal. com/ Product_ Organza- Dress- with- Draped- Bodice- and- Bubble- Skirt- VW360018_ Bridal- Party- Features- Wear- Again- Looks_

_BART= Bay Area Rapid Transit (like the L train in Chicago or the subway system in New York or London or Berlin)_


	5. November 2012

_**I do not own the Twilight story or any of its characters.**_

_**I just like messing with Stephenie Meyer's characters!**_

**Cheer-Ball: November**

**November 1**

"I haven't slept that good in a couple of years." I said stretching underneath my covers. Thinking it over, I changed my statement. "Well, that was the best sleep I have had without a medical problem knocking me out."

"You are welcome." Matt Leinart said sarcastically. "I guess I should get out of here and let you get to work, right?"

"Nope, have a lay in. I'm going to pop into my bathroom and get ready." I said throwing the covers off of me and getting out of bed.

"I love that you still sleep in a tank and boxers that you and your sorority stole from the USC football team." He laughed as he repeated a statement from last night.

I laughed with him as I walked over to my closet and grabbed some clothes. Just before I closed my bathroom door, I countered with, "Face it, Leinart. These boxers look better on me than they ever did on you!"

Alice's jaw dropped almost to the floor when she walked into the kitchen to get her routine coffee before her first class. She shook her head and came to her senses when I cleared my throat and raised my eyebrows at her. "Morning, Bella. Morning, Matt. Does anyone care to explain what is going on here?"

"Whatever do you mean, Alice?" Matt asked casually. "Aren't you used to professional football players being in your kitchen in the morning?"

"I was, but they were usually drinking coffee and eating Lucky Charms with Emmett." Then, she giggled. "Now that I say that out loud, I realize how bad that sounds."

I lightly touched Matt's arm to get his attention back on me for a moment. "Leave the poor, love drunk, caffeine deprived gal alone and get going. Didn't you say you needed to take a shower before practice?"

"Fine," he said after taking one last drink of his coffee. "Remember if you need to talk, call me. I'll get here as quick as I can.

I walked him to the front door and felt Emmett's stare before I saw him. I shut the door and turned around. "Morning, Emmett. Did you have fun at the party last night?"

"Apparently, I did not have as much fun as you." He said before grabbing his jacket and storming out of the house.

I went back to the kitchen to see Alice staring off into space. I stepped up behind her and whispered, "Jasper!"

She jumped and fell off of her stool, saying, "What? Where? How bad is my breath?"

Laughing, I said, "Calm down, pixie. He's not here. I just wanted to see how you reacted!"

She threw a dish towel at me. "That was not nice. What if I said Matt right behind you when you weren't paying attention?"

"I would be fine because he and I are just friends." She shot me a look of disbelieve. "Seriously, he was in my brother fraternity at USC. He was my big brother my freshman year. We've gotten together whenever we are in the same city since he left."

"Nothing happened between you two? I mean, he slept in your room last night." She asked skeptically.

"Eww, no. He may be cute, but he is a big brother to me." I crossed my heart with my fingers. "I promise. All we did was talk and sleep."

"You might want to explain that to Emmett." She said as I finished packing my lunch. "He can be a real bear sometimes."

"Why should I? Nothing happened and even if something did, I don't own Emmett anything."

She got up to take her coffee back to her room. "Don't act like Emmett. Talk to him soon, preferably before his next Skype chat with mom. She can tell when he is pissed and will fly here right away."

"I'll try, but I can't guarantee anything." I said putting on my coat and picking up my bag.

"That is all I can ask."

I was so glad that I had a preparation period the last class period of the day. I needed some quiet time, especially if I followed through with my idea of talking to Emmett. I mustered up my courage and was waiting against the planter wall outside his classroom when the final bell rang.

He opened the door to let his class out and acted like he couldn't see me standing there. When he was about to shut his door after the last student, I quickly moved and stood in the doorway.

"Is there something you need, Ms. Swan?" He said through clenched teeth.

"Well, you are acting like I did something to piss you off and I am not sure what it is."

"Nothing, you did nothing to me."

I stepped inside and pulled him after me. "Emmett, Matt is just a friend. If we are going to continue to live in the same house, you are going to have to realize some things. One, most of my friends are male, especially my closest. Two, I refuse to apologized for my choice of friends. Three, my few close female friends are sweet, but are very flirtatious and aggressive. Four, I like living with you and Alice, but I will move if you can't get over yourself."

"Matt and Jasper are just friends?" I nodded my head and he continued. "I will try to behave, but I'm not perfect."

"I'm not asking you to be. Just don't assume I am a slut and I will try to keep my slut friends from jumping you."

"Agreed." He said giving me a quick hug. "Now, that craziness is done. What is for dinner?"

**November 9**

"Dia duit, a Mháthair. Conas atá tú? Tá mé ag déanamh go maith." Emmett said smiling proudly since he had finally gotten it right after practicing all week.

"Hello, Emmett. I am fine and I am glad you are doing well. Your father and I are living in Ireland now, but that doesn't mean you have to speak native Irish to us." Siobhan said laughing at him.

"Marme, do you know how long it took me to learn that?" Emmett whined.

"Probably about as long as it took for Bella to forgive your idiocy." She snapped back.

Alice and I were in the kitchen. We couldn't contain our laughter anymore.

Emmett glanced up at us and whined some more. "You told my mom?" That made us laugh even harder.

I brought Emmett a mug of hot tea before answering. "She guessed and Alice told her. I am relatively innocent in all of this."

"Thanks for the sell out, Bella." Alice said joining us on the couch in front of Emmett's laptop. "Hi, Marme. Hi Daddy."

"There's my little lass. How is school? Do you have enough time for studying?" Her father, Liam, asked.

"Of course, I do. In fact, I got a new study partner recently that is making it even easier."

Emmett choked a little on a big gulp of hot tea he hadn't meant to swallow. "Oh, so Jasper is a study partner now? I thought he was your…"

"Shut it." I said interrupting him.

"I see how it is now. You will let her tell on me, but I can't tell on her." He said crossing his arms and pouting.

"What is going on?" Siobhan and Liam asked us together.

"You'll know when the time is right, Marme."

"I better know and meet this young man when we are home for Christmas." Siobhan said in matter of fact tone.

"I understand." Alice replied in a half happy, half worried tone. "It is really new right now. Bella, can tell you more about him than I can, but not for much longer."

I jumped in at her parent's confused faces. "He and I went to college together. We were friends from almost the first day of our freshman year at USC."

"He is older?" Liam asked skeptically.

"Hush, Liam. You are nine years older than me. You have no place to say anything." Siobhan said slightly scolding her husband.

"Mom's right. Plus, Jasper is only three years older than me. He is younger than Emmett. "She was reaching for straws and throwing her brother under the bus again. "He and I are closer in age than Emmett and the latest blonde bimbo that he brought home!"

"Emmett!" his mother chastised.

Alice and I giggled again while Liam laughed.

Emmett stared open mouthed at his little, soon-to-be maimed sister.

After the giggling and laughing died down, Liam thoughtfully said, "Really? Emmet I thought smart brunettes were more your taste. I am surprised that you haven't hit on Bella yet."

**November 12**

"Alice," I whispered as I crept into her room, bright and early. "Alice, it is time to wake up."

She grumbled from her bed and threw a pillow at me

"Alice is that any way to treat the person who is helping you with Jasper's birthday surprise?"

She slowly sat up as I crossed her room to sit on her bed. "Fine, what do you want?" she asked sullenly.

"I wanted to go over the plan one more time before I left for school. His birthday present for me was so perfect that I want to make sure everything I thought up goes perfectly for him."

"Bella, you have been planning this since Jasper surprised you on your birthday. Everything will be fine, more than fine even." Alice said flopping back onto her pillow. "I contacted my professor and was able to get him to e-mail me the review assignment. I will be home from my errands by the time the cupcakes are supposed to be delivered from 'Sift Cupcake'. Then, I will bring them to your school and hide around the corner from the band room by 1:15. Are you sure he will like the ones you picked out?"

"You are bat crap crazy if you think he won't. He will love the Stud Muffin! Think about it. It is a brown sugar, beer cake with salted caramel frosting and cayenne dusted bacon on top. Can you think of anything in that description that Jasper wouldn't like about that?"

"No, you're right." She said with a laugh. She looked over at her alarm clock as she stretched. "But you will be late for school if you don't get moving."

"See you later." I called as I ran out of her room and down the stairs.

It was hard, but I was able to keep all contact with Jasper to texts and e-mails for the morning. I had to do that because I know I am a horrible actress. I was petrified when I saw him lean up against the windows outside my classroom about ten minutes before lunch. That moment was the first time I really and truly wished I had a second exit door to my room.

I looked around my classroom and smiled widely. Sitting in the middle of the sea of students were Sam Uley and three other football players along with a couple of my cheerleaders. I quickly wrote a few post-it notes. To the guys I wrote, _'Hide me while I sneak past Mr. Whitlock!' 'Distract Mr. Whitlock when the bell rings!' _was written to the two of the three cheerleaders. To the last girl, Angela, I wrote '_Lock the door and meet me at Mr. McCarty's room with the key.'_

Angela having realized how I behave when I have a secret turned to the others. She whispered, "I have a feeling that Mr. Whitlock will rip up any punishment he plans to dish out after he gets surprised by Ms. Swan."

Even with the quick planning, I was shocked that I was actually able to get to Emmett's classroom without Jasper seeing me. I sat heavily on one of the desks right in front of his.

"Is Jasper messing up your plan by trying to talk to his friend on his birthday?" Emmett said snickering.

"Ha. Ha. Ha. You are so funny!" I said kicking his desk. "He showed up outside my classroom! I had to think on my feet to get out of there without having to lie to his face."

Then, my cell began to vibrate. I pulled it out of my pocket and hoping it was Alice or Esme. "Shit! It's Jasper. Why doesn't he get I don't want to talk to him right now?"

Emmett took my phone from my hand and handed me a bag of baked apple chips that he kept in his room for me. He opened up the message from Jasper and started laughing hysterically.

I took my phone back when tears started rolling down Emmett's face. I didn't want to, but I started laughing myself. His message was just a picture of me sneaking away with my football player guard. What made this picture so funny was one of the players, Eric Yorkie, was staring at my ass.

Toward the end of lunch, I left Emmett's classroom and snuck quietly into the band room. I could tell the light was on in Jasper's office, but the shade was drawn. He was probably taking a nap since we didn't have lunch together like normal.

When the bell rang, I was grateful that I didn't have much more time to wait. I could hear him slam his feet on the floor and shuffle around the office. Then, I heard his phone ring and did a little happy dance as he answered it.

Mrs. Cope's boy toy crush on Emmett had definitely come in handy. Emmett had asked her to call Jasper about a made up something so he didn't notice that his band students weren't coming in and setting up his instruments.

Thanks to lots of planning with the band, a note reminding them taped to the band room door, and Mrs. Renata opening up the choir room for them to get ready, I remained alone in the dimly lit room.

Jasper was practically begging Mrs. Cope to let him off the phone when the bell rang signaling the beginning of the last class of the day. Just as he hung up, I received the _'We are ready' _text from Emmett.

Jasper stepped out of his office and spotted me right away. "Now, you want to talk to me?" He asked shaking his head. "Too bad, I have class now. Can we talk afterwards?"

"We could talk later or we could take a walk now." I countered.

"I would love to take a walk, but I… have… a… class…" he said drawing out his last for words and looking around the room. "Bella, what did you do?"

"Are you ready to take that walk now?" I asked walking up the tiers of chairs.

"Well, since my band students are all going to get detention for listening to you, I guess I have no choice." He said sighing. He held open the door and ushered me through it. He stepped out and the band began to play.

Toward the end of the song, Jasper turned to me laughing. "Bella, you are in so much trouble. I can't believe you taught my band to play Beck's Loser."

"Oh, that is only just the beginning." I whispered in his ear. I laughed hysterically at Jasper's face when Emmett started singing.

When the second song began to play, I grabbed his hand. "Dance with me, Hanson!"

"You and everyone else were supposed to forget all about that nickname and that haircut of mine." He said laughing as we spun and danced.

"Hanson, I will always remember. Hanson's MMMBop will always remind me of you freshman year." I said laughing back at him.

When the song was done, he and I clapped right along with everyone else in the fine arts quad. He did a big dramatic bow and snapped back up when he heard an unexpected voice behind him.

"Jasper, you need to invite your band back to the band room." Alice said coming toward us from the band room door. She had slipped inside the room while I had distracted him with dancing. "I have over one hundred Stud Muffin cupcakes in there ready for everyone to enjoy before you and I run off to the city for dinner."

**November 18**

"Emmett, you are embarrassing me!" I squeaked as I smacked his leg. I was getting truly annoyed with him bouncing in his seat right next to me. "You are acting like Alice!"

"I can't really help it. I am hopped up on coffee and no sleep."

"I knew I should have literally knocked you out last night when we got home from the pizza party." I grumbled under my breath.

Angela and Ben laughed in their seats behind us. Angela touched my shoulder and said, "Ms. Swan, the guys won the State Championship yesterday. I am afraid he will be like this for a while."

"Fine, then, you two live in the same house as him until he calms down." I said back sarcastically. "I locked my door and stuffed a towel underneath it. Plus, I slept with my pillow over my ears even though I had my ear buds in. He was so loud while he was playing video games until four in the morning."

Emmett interrupted them laughing at my misfortune by jumping out of his seat and screaming as the Raiders were announced and ran out on to the field.

The first half of the game was neck and neck the entire time, but I was barely paying attention to it. Angela and I were very busy discussing the differences and similarities between the Eagles and Raiders squads. We annoyed Emmett and Ben so much that Emmett forced Ben and me to change seats.

During the Raiders halftime show, Emmett and I left most of the football team and my cheerleading squad with the parent chaperones. We lead Angela, Lauren, Sam, and Mike down to the changing room that the Eagle cheerleaders were using.

Tanya had texted me early this morning and said they had a surprise for the four captains. After a few more texts, she and I decided that while the Raiders cheerleaders were performing would be the best time to show them.

Emmett decided to tag along with the five of us for two reasons. One was because Mike and Sam are his team's captains. The second is because he wanted to see the professional cheerleaders up close and personal. His second reason had earned him three elbows in the gut from Esme, Alice, and me this morning.

The four captains got their Philadelphia Eagles swag bags full of jerseys, posters, stress balls, foam fingers, and towels. The Eagle squad also promised that the four of them and the rest of the squad and team a special autograph signing after the game. The kids were so excited that even Mike and Sam were jumping up and down with Lauren and Angela. Sam suddenly stopped jumping and laughter nervously as he looked over my shoulder.

I started to slowly turn around to see what he was staring at, but Angela tried to stop me.

"I don't think you want to do that, Ms. Swan." Angela said in a very anxious tone.

I took her hands off of my shoulders and said, "Angela, I am a big girl. I am pretty sure I have seen way worse things than what all of you are staring at now."

Then, I turned around to see that Emmett was the only one enjoying the presence of the opposite sex. Emmett was sitting in a corner chair with Tanya draped across his lap. I ushered the student out of the room and told them that I would walk them back to our seats in a few moments.

I turned back to Emmett and Tanya, who had no clue that the teenagers had left the room. I grabbed the back of Tanya's uniform and yanked her off his lap until her ass hit the floor.

"Seriously, Tanya, I thought it was bad enough that you slept with players and coaches, but to start in on my friends. I will not accept that." Then, I turned on Emmett. "I can over look you fooling around with some random blonde bimbo in the living room. However, I will not overlook you having one of my friends sitting across your lap right in front of me and four of our students. I am going to take the kids back to our seats and enjoy the rest of the game. Do not talk to me. "

I heard him muttering expletives to himself under his breath and calling out to me as I crossed the room and slammed the door shut.

**November 20-24**

Tuesday

"I'm going to Seattle! I'm going to Forks! I'm going to Seattle! I'm going to Forks!" Alice sang like a little kid as she bounced in her first-class seat as we were getting ready to take off.

"If you don't stop bouncing and singing, you aren't." I said through my teeth as we got a death stare from the stewardess. "I will throw you into the ocean myself!"

"You wouldn't dare!" She tried to say seriously, but she ended up giggling anyways. "You need me to have someone to talk to while your dad is working. Plus, I am the distraction if you need a quick get away from your ex-honey. Are you ever going to explain about him?"

"Will you take no for an answer?" I asked skeptically. She shook her head no. "Fine, his name is Jacob Black. We met when we were kids because our dads are best friends. When we were in high school, we started dating. At first, it was great. We would go to the movies, or to the beach, or just chilled in his garage and talked while he worked on building his car. We were the Homecoming King and Queen in 2005. We both even got full rides to USC."

"Why do I have a feeling this is like the beginning of a teen horror movie or an after school special?" Alice asked as we taxied down the runway.

"Because it is," I answered in a dead voice.

Over the course of the entire flight, I explained the saga of my relationship with Jacob Black.

Alice reacted perfectly to everything. She gasped when I told her about the first time he hit me after we got to college and I passed the bruise off as a routine cheerleading accident. She wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug when I gave her a brief overview of him sneaking into my dorm room in the middle of the night drunk off his ass and forcing himself on me. She looked murderous when I said he punched me several times in the stomach when I thought I was pregnant.

Just before we began the descent to Sea-Tac airport, she asked me the question I have asked myself a billion times. "Bella, you are a policeman's daughter. Why didn't you turn him into the police or campus security?"

"The same reason every other woman doesn't turn a guy in. I was scared. He was a big star on campus. He was a great liar and would have turned it around on me. Plus, he and I had been together for a long time, like four to eight years. Some if not all would have said I was just trying ruin his reputation along with breaking up with him."

"Anyone who knew you at that time would have believed you and told everyone who didn't believe that they were stupid. Did you ever take picture of the injuries or tell anyone at all?"

"Not until after I had joined the Eagles and then, broken up with him. Tanya had seen a couple weird bruises on me at tryouts that I didn't tell him I was going to. When I made the squad, Tanya arranged for she and I to move into a squad apartment early so I didn't even have to go back to Forks after finals my senior year. When we were eating dinner alone that first night, she made me talk and talk just like you are doing now."

"Why didn't you tell Jasper or one of your big football player friends?" She asked still filled with shock and disbelief.

As I gathered my bag from the overhead compartment, I said, "I told you I was scared of what he would do or what they would do. Plus…"

After a short pause and I froze in place, she said sarcastically, "Plus what?"

"Plus, his sister, Rachel, has been sitting halfway back in the coach section this entire flight." I said adopting the dead tone in my voice again.

I managed not to catch her eye as we quickly got off the plane and made our way through the terminals to our Port Angeles flight. I was hoping she wouldn't be on this flight, but I had no luck and she was. I kept my face buried in a book. Thankfully, she didn't see me when she sat down seven rows up or when she got up and left the plane.

I thought I was in the clear until I saw Rachel standing right next to my dad as he leaned against his cruiser.

Alice pushed me so that I would continue waiting toward them.

"Bells, it is great to have you home. It has been too long since you have come to Forks." My dad, Charlie, said crushing me in a huge bear hug. "I hope you don't mind, but I told Billy that I could give Rachel a ride home so Jake didn't half to take time away from the shop."

"That's fine. Hi, Rachel. How are you?" I asked trying not to show that I was nervous.

"Bella, I am not my brother. Don't be shy." She said giving me a full on, bear hug.

I breathed a huge sigh of relief and introduced Alice to them both.

The ride to my dad's house in his cruiser was surprisingly full of pleasant conversation. I was happy that he dropped us off first before taking Rachel out to her father, Billy Black, who lives out on the reservation.

Once Alice and I lugged our luggage into my dad's modest two story house, I gave her a quick tour before I made us a snack.

As we ate our tuna salad sandwiches, Alice asked what I hoped would be one last question. "Did Jacob ever try to get to you when you were with the Eagles?"

"Oh, he tried, but he was never able to break through my defenses that Tanya had set up." I paused for a moment before I added, "I think that girl should go into the Secret Service or the CIA when she is done with cheerleading."

Wednesday

I woke up the next morning to Alice and an unfamiliar male voice singing in the kitchen. After a quick trip to the bathroom, I walked into the kitchen rubbing my eyes. "Alice, did you pick up some random guy at the grocery store and bring him to my DAD's house? I thought you were dating Jasper."

I uncovered my eyes when I heard her giggle.

"Bella, why didn't you tell me that your dad can sing? He is quite good."

"Dad? That was you singing?" I asked in shock. I had never heard him sing anything, but lullabies before.

"I sing, Bells. You have just been gone too long to remember." He responded before giving me a sideways hug good morning.

"Why are you so chipper this morning? Why are you still here shouldn't you be at the station by now?" I asked realizing that it was already nine in the morning on a weekday.

"I took today and tomorrow off. I wanted to spend some time with you and your friend, Alice." He said handing me a peanut butter and honey toasted sandwich.

"Okay, "I said drawing out the word. "I still suspect something. I see your culinary skills haven't changed." I teased pointing to my sandwich.

"Why change a classic?" He asked mocking me causing Alice and me to burst into laughter.

After breakfast and cleaning up, we decided to head over and show Alice First Beach on the reservation. Even after everything and all the memories mixed with Jake here, I still loved this beach. I was sitting on a downed, salt washed tree and enjoying the crash of the waves against the rocky shore when Alice elbowed me in the ribs.

"Who is the hot red-head talking to your dad near the shore?" She whispered to me.

I shook my head. "I'm not sure who she is, but I think we are about to find out."

After I watch my father hug this woman for a couple of beats too long, they started walking toward Alice and I on the log.

"Bella, wipe that look off your face. You look like Emmett does when he tries to think." Alice whispered causing me to laugh. I was still laughing when my dad and this woman joined us.

He sat down next to me on the log and she sat on the ground in front of him. He nudged my shoulder with his and said, "I miss that laugh, Bells."

"I miss you too, Dad." I said nudging him back. "So, are you going to tell me who this is or do I have to make an educated guess with all the non-information you have given me?"

He and the woman laughed lightly before he said, "Bells, Alice, this is my friend, Victoria."

Alice and I didn't miss Victoria's eyebrows raise when he said friend.

"Are you friends or more than friends, Mr. Swan?" Alice asked putting an emphasis in the word more.

My dad blushed slightly. "Alice, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Charlie?"

Alice just laughed in response.

Then, at the same time, Victoria and I said, "You didn't answer her question." That caused more laughter and blushing from my dad.

"We are more than friends if you must be nosey, Alice." He said reaching around me to poke her in the ribs. "We have been seeing each other since last Memorial Day when her neighbor caught their house on fire."

"And now…" I paused to count. "SIX months later I find out about it! You couldn't find time to tell me during one of the zillion phone calls we have had since then."

"I know you aren't really mad, Bella. You haven't growled at me or called me by my first name yet." He said wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

"I am sorry, Bella. I told him that he should have told you instead of springing me on you at the beach." Victoria said apologizing.

"It's not your fault, Victoria." I said lightly touching her shoulder. Then, I turned on my dad. "Charlie, you and I are talking later."

Victoria looked over at Alice with a smile and said, "Why don't we give them a minute or two and I'll toss you in the water?"

"Is it cold?" Alice asked warily as she watched my dad's whoever stand up and hold out her hand.

"You'll just have to wait and find out when you hit it." Victoria laughed pulling her toward the water.

I turned to my dad and asked, "Will she really toss Alice into the frigid water?"

He laughingly shook his head and responded by saying, "She is a doctor. She wouldn't do anything that would make Alice sick. She is a good woman, Bella."

"I'm sure she is, but it would have been nice to have a little warning, especially since she is almost my age." I said poking his ribs.

"Yeah, she is half way between us." He said standing up and stretching. "I really like her, Bells. I hope you will give her a chance."

"Does she make you happy?" He nodded his head yes. "Does she make you eat veggies?" He grunted, but he nodded again. "Then, I have absolutely no problem with you and her. If she hurts you, I cannot be held responsible for what I will do to her and you won't arrest me for it." I stood up and stretched myself. I linked my arm with his and started pulling him toward the water. "Come on, Dad. I think we should toss them both in the water."

My dad sat in the car shivering while Alice, Victoria, and I ran into the store with the bottom half of our jeans wet.

"I think your dad is now not happy he had you meet Victoria on the beach!" Alice said still chuckling at what we had done to him.

"I don't think he anticipated us ganging up on him so quickly." Victoria added. "He did look pretty funny flailing through the air before he hit the water. I don't know if he will ever make either of us miffed at him again."

I stopped the three of us in the produce section. "Charlie said he had a turkey already."

"He better have taken it out. It was the perfect bird." Victoria grumbled slightly.

I laughed dryly. "Good to know that he still has a bad habit of forgetting to take things out of the freezer. Here is a trick I learned the hard way. Post it notes. Put one on the fridge, on the freezer, on the front door, and on his steering wheel."

"I had been wondering how you could stand that for all those years. Add them to the list." Victoria said as Alice laughed at the two of us.

Alice quickly wrote down post-its and then, ripped the list into three parts. As she passed out the pieces, she said, "If we each take a section, we can get done quicker. Because of Bella's by grocery department list making we shouldn't have any overlap."

"Would you rather have to ping pong all over the store?" I asked with total attitude.

Alice stood on her toes and patted my head. "Not all of us have to go straight down the list. Now, scoot."

The three of us went off in different directions. Victoria and I were done quickly and met up at the front of the store. We waited for a few moments and reviewed what we had picked up.

Finally after almost ten minutes, Victoria said, "Where in the hell is that little pixie friend of yours?"

"Alice is very friendly. She is probably just talking with the butcher and stopping him from slicing the bacon. I'll go look for her."

Since we had combined our carts already, I put mine away and set off to the butcher's counter. Before I got to the counter, I saw her.

I saw her talking to Billy Black. It looked like she had helped him get something from an upper shelf which was slightly funny because she is so short. As I walked closer, I wondered who had driven Billy to the store. With a little smile on my face, I pictured Billy rolling himself to the street in his wheelchair and then, grabbing onto the back of a truck.

Suddenly, a husky voice beside me said, "Are you picturing my dad hitching a ride on a truck, Marty McFly style, aren't you?"

I froze and I am sure all of the color drained from my face.

"It is good to see you back in Forks, Bella." He said even closer to my ear.

I swallowed the bile that had crept up my throat and grabbed Alice's arm. Moving quickly, I pulled her and her cart to Victoria at the front of the store. We dropped off Alice's cart and Alice told her that my dad would be back to pick her up.

We ran out of the store and hopped in the cruiser. My dad looked at us curiously, but Alice commandingly told him to drive. He drove us to his house and then, rushed back to pick up Victoria.

Before they returned, I threw up and Alice booked a hotel room in Seattle for us for tomorrow night.

"Bella, why in the hell did you run out of the store and leave Victoria stranded for a few minutes?" My dad yelled as he found us in the kitchen.

Alice turned away from the stove and poured hot water into the mug in front of me that had a tea bag and honey in it. Once she had set the teapot down and I still hadn't answered, she put her hands on her hips and yelled at me. "You haven't ever told your father!"

"What haven't you told me? How long have you been keeping something so big from me?" My dad said moving in front of me to get my undivided attention.

I cried into my tea as I told my dad and Victoria the entire story of Jake and me. At more than a few points during the tale, Victoria, Alice, and I had to pull my dad back from the door and his guns. I even told him the rumors that were currently circulating with our mutual friends. When I was finished, he looked at me with a hurt expression. He wrapped me in his arms and let me cry into his chest.

"Bella, he did those things for four years and you never told me. I know you were scared, but we have always been there for each other." He said as I started calming down. "Now, is there anything else you are keeping from me?"

"No," I said quietly.

"Bella," He tried to say sounding stern, but it didn't work because of the still slightly hurt emotion in his voice.

I swallowed loudly. "Daddy, do you remember Homecoming my senior year of high school?"

"Why?" He asked actually sounding stern this time.

I got up from my seat and started back toward the kitchen door. "I let you think that the reservation guys stole your cruiser, but it was actually me and James Coven." Then, I dashed up to my room as he yelled my name again.

Thursday

It was one o'clock and I had been up since the crack of dawn cooking our Thanksgiving dinner. I knew we were supposed to have guests, but I didn't know who they were. I found out last night when my dad had called and disinvited the Black family. Even though, I technically had a lighter load than I had originally thought, I was making everything we had bought. I thought I might as well so my dad could freeze some and get plenty of home-cooked out of it.

I felt bad that I wouldn't be able to spend time with Rachel and Billy, but none of us felt like we could control our emotions with Jake in the house.

Victoria was scheduled to arrive in the next few minutes to help with the finishing touches because Alice and Charlie weren't any help at all. When she breezed through the door, I was shocked to see Rachel following in behind her.

Rachel looked at me with such shame in her eyes. "Bella, I didn't know. I promise you that I didn't know. When I said I'm not my brother at the airport, I thought you might not like me because of the brake up. I never dreamed you could be worried that I would tell him you are here or that we were on the same flights."

I quickly dried my hands and wrapped my arms around her. "Rachel, it is okay. I know you had no clue, but I was still nervous. I'm sorry you are being put in the middle of the situation."

I heard Charlie chuckled as he slipped out the back door only to return a couple of minutes later pushing Billy.

Billy looked up at me with sad eyes. "Bella, I had no idea that my son was behaving that way. After the way you reacted to him in the store and Charlie cancelling dinner, I made him tell me what happened with you two at college. He tried to play things off as your clumsy nature, but I could see the truth in his eyes. I know I received a watered down, half-truth story from him. I am still very sorry for what he did. I will stand behind you should you ever decide to press charges."

"Billy, I can't come between you and Jake like that." I said dropping down to his level.

"He came between us and shattered our relationship. I kicked him out and begged Charlie to let us come here to be able to apologize in person."

"You aren't staying?" Alice asked interrupting. She seemed to be really taken with the sincere and genuine nature of the older man in front of me.

"No, I think not." Billy said flashing a small smile.

"Of course, you are." My dad and I said together before the whole kitchen burst out laughing.

A four food and laughter filled hours later, we were all sitting around the table extremely full and content. My sides hurt from all of the laughing and eating I had been doing.

Billy turned to me and said, "I think it is about time Rachel and I were off. She has a lot of work to do before she leaves."

"What kind of work are you doing while you are here?" Victoria asked.

"My normal work, my dad wants me to redecorate his house and de-Jake it before I leave. Apparently, he doesn't want anything left when he asks his girlfriend, Senna, to move in with him at Christmas." Rachel answered with a cat out of the bag smile.

"You knew?" Billy asked surprised.

My dad answered. "Of course, we knew. Anyone that see you and Senna together it blind if they don't see that you two love each other and are just waiting for you kids to hop in board."

"I saw that the second she you heard her car in the driveway last night. Plus, she and I had a talk in the middle of the night over tea."

Billy rolled back from the table. "Well, let's get going so I can ask her sooner."

After the goodbyes and getting Billy into his car, I told my dad Alice and I were leaving too.

"I expected that, but I can't say I am happy about it. Are you just off the Seattle or are you two going straight back to San Francisco?" My dad asked.

Alice piped up in her bouncy tone. "We are going shopping!"

_Author's Note~_

_Sorry, this one took so long to get out to you. I was really, really sick to the point I was almost admitted to the hospital. I am still sick, but I am feeling much better._

_I know this chapter is a little shorter, but the next chapter might take a while and should be really long. Christmas with the parents will be tons of fun._

_Let me know what you think! You will get a preview teaser if you review. ~KaliCali77_

_P.S. Please let me know about any major misakes. I don't have a beta._

_Check out the banner for this story made by _Christag_Banner at pbckt .com/ pW. R1ImZM

_Pictures of the house that inspired the McCarty/Swan house are at http:/ www. villa vianci. com/ Just remove the spaces._

_I got the English to Irish translation at http:/ web translation. paralink. com/_

_The bakery that Bella ordered Jasper's birthday cupcakes from (Sift Cupcakes http:/ store. Sift cupcakes. com/ cupcakes. Html )_

_BART= Bay Area Rapid Transit (like the L train in Chicago or the subway system in New York or London or Berlin)_


	6. December 1, 2012 Alice & Jasper

_**I do not own the Twilight story or any of its characters.**_

_**I just like messing with Stephenie Meyer's characters!**_

**Cheer-Ball: December 1, 2012**

**Alice & Jasper**

Alice POV

"Alice, if you don't get down here in the next five minutes, I am taking Bella out to dinner with me!" Jasper called up the stairs to me.

"Cool it, cowboy. I can't figure out what to wear. I hate it when you don't tell me where you are taking me." I called back through my barely open door as I held up two different black shirts up to the mirror. "Will you please give me a hint?"

I heard him growl to Bella. "Please, would you go up there? Just grab any shirt out of her closet and pull it over her head. That pixie is going to make us late for the reservation I made."

Bella laughed as she walked up the stairs to me. Once she came in my room, she said, "You have that guy wrapped around your finger. He has an amazing night plan for you. Get your ass dressed and go downstairs!"

"How did I know that you would be on his side?" I said rolling my eyes and putting the two black shirts back. I grabbed a light gray, comfy, and flowing shirt. "What do you think about this shirt?"

"I think that or any of the other million shirts in your closet will be perfect." She said rolling her eyes back at me before leaving my room. As she walked back down the stairs, she said, "She is almost dressed. She was having trouble deciding on a shirt."

Jasper grumbled.

Bella defended me by saying, "If you want her to move a little faster next time, give her a hint about the restaurant."

"Whatever."

I say her hugging him as I began walking down the stairs.

"Okay, she's here. Have fun, you two."

"Are you moving back in tonight?"

"Has your brother pulled his head out of his ass?" Bella said sarcastically as she started out the door.

Jasper leaned down and kissed my forehead. "Are you actually ready now, darlin'?"

I tapped my chin, pretending to think. "I think I may need… nothing, but that bag next to the coffee table."

He looked at the bag in surprise. "Are you sure you need a bag that big?"

"It has only the necessities." I said walking over and grabbing the creamy orange tote from the floor. "Plus, you never know what a girl might need."

He rolled his eyes and led me out to his car. Like the amazing southern gentleman that he is, he opened my door and helped me in. Before he closed the door, he said "You definitely surprise me, Pixie. I hope you will like my surprises that I have for you tonight."

After driving for almost an hour, Jasper finally pulled into a parking lot. "You hungry, pixie?"

"Of course, I am." I said looking out my side of the car. "There is one problem. I don't really like movie theater food for dinner."

"Well, that is good because we are eating in the other direction." He chuckled as he got out of the car and came to help me out. He walked me to the nice, cozy, and fun looking restaurant. I was a little concerned by the huge, metal silo at the back of the building.

"Welcome to Schooner's Grille and Brewery," a hostess, or maybe a waitress, chirped as she smiled widely.

Jasper chuckled and pulled her into a quick side hug. "Mary, I feel so bad that the owners make you say that all the time."

"Jasper, leave my waitresses alone. They are very happily employed and have fun working here."

"Sure we are, Daddy." Mary said with just a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

I just stood there confused while Jasper and Mary laughed at the older man.

Jasper seemed to remember that I was there. "Mary, Randall, this is my Alice. She is an amazing person, but she has no idea what is going on here."

"Well, let's get you two to your table and the show on the road." Randall said with a big belly laugh.

A few minutes after we sat down, glasses of iced tea and plates of food were set on front of us. I loved the look of the coconut crusted tilapia that was set in front me, but I think my mouth watered even more when I looked over at the beer bratwurst on Jasper's plate.

I guess he saw me looking because he leaned over and said, "I promise to give you a bit or two of my bratwurst. I do hope you like what I ordered you. I had to place them ahead because I have a limit on how much time I have to eat."

"It looks delicious, but why do you have a short time to eat?" I asked stealing the bite of brat that he had just cut.

"Pixie, for that you will just have to wait and find out."

We spent the next twenty minutes of good food and me begging to find out what was going on. Then, the owner Randall came back to our table with a guitar.

"Jasper, I hate to break up your date, but people are starting to ask when you are going on."

I started jumping up and down in my seat. I was very excited to hear Jasper sing something of his choosing. I knew he wasn't always happy practicing the song that the school band plays. He got up and took the guitar from Randall. Before stepping onto the small stage, he gave me a small kiss on the forehead.

"Hello, my name is Jasper and I am going to sing a few little songs for you tonight. I hope you enjoy."

Suddenly, Randall was sitting behind him on the drums. Then, Mary was sitting next to me handing me a tall glass of Irish Red Ale.

Jasper smiled at Mary and myself and began to sing Kenny Chesney's I Go Back.

_"Jack and Diane" painted a picture of my life and my dreams,_  
><em>Suddenly this crazy world made more sense to me<em>  
><em>Well I heard it today and I couldn't help but sing along<em>  
><em>'Cause every time I hear that song<em>

_I go back to a two-toned short bed Chevy_  
><em>Drivin' my first love out to the levy<em>  
><em>Livin' life with no sense of time<em>  
><em>And I go back to the feel of a fifty yard line<em>  
><em>A blanket, a girl, some raspberry wine<em>  
><em>Wishin' time would stop right in its tracks<em>  
><em>Every time I hear that song, I go back, I go back<em>

_I used to rock all night long to "Keep On Rockin' Me Baby"_  
><em>Frat parties, college bars, just tryin' to impress the ladies<em>  
><em>I heard it today and I couldn't help but sing along<em>  
><em>Cause every time I hear that song<em>

_I go back to the smell of an old gym floor_  
><em>The taste of salt on the Carolina shore<em>  
><em>After graduation and drinkin' goodbye to friends<em>  
><em>And I go back to watchin summer fade to fall<em>  
><em>Growin' up too fast and I do recall<em>  
><em>Wishin' time would stop right in its tracks<em>  
><em>Every time I hear that song, I go back, I go back<em>

_We all have a song that somehow stamped our lives_  
><em>Takes us to another place and time<em>

_So I go back to a pew, preacher, and a choir_  
><em>Singin' 'bout God, brimstone, and fire<em>  
><em>And the smell of Sunday chicken after church<em>  
><em>And I go back to the loss of a real good friend<em>  
><em>And the sixteen summers I shared with him<em>  
><em>Now "Only The Good Die Young" stops me in my tracks<em>  
><em>Every time I hear that song, I go back, I go back<em>

_To the feel of a fifty yard line_  
><em>A blanket, a girl, some raspberry wine<em>

_To watchin' summer fade to fall_  
><em>Growin' up too fast and I do recall<em>

_To the loss of a real good friend_  
><em>And the sixteen summers I shared with him<em>

_Now only the good die young_  
><em>Stops me in my tracks<em>

_Every time I hear that song I go back_

I sat listening to him play and put true southern emotion into his voice.

Toward the end of the song Mary leaned over and said, "If that guy looked at me the way he keeps glancing at you, I would definitely not be able to sit calmly drinking my ale."

"Trust me. On the inside, I am anything, but calm." I whispered back.

Jasper and Randall seamlessly transitioned to another Kenny Chesney song, Me and You.

_Ordinary no, I really don't think so_  
><em>Not a love this true<em>  
><em>Common destiny<em>  
><em>We were meant to be<em>  
><em>Me and you<em>

_Like a perfect scene from a movie screen_  
><em>We're a dream come true<em>  
><em>Suited perfectly for eternity<em>  
><em>Me and you<em>

_Every day, I need you even more_  
><em>And the night time too<em>  
><em>There's no way<em>  
><em>I could ever let you go<em>  
><em>Even if I wanted to<em>

_Every day I live_  
><em>I try my best to give<em>  
><em>All I have to you<em>  
><em>I thank the stars above<em>  
><em>That we share this love me and you<em>

_Every day, I need you even more_  
><em>And the night time too<em>  
><em>There's no way<em>  
><em>I could ever let you go<em>  
><em>Even if I wanted to<em>

_Ordinary no, I really don't think so_  
><em>Just a precious few<em>  
><em>Ever make it last<em>  
><em>Get as lucky as<em>  
><em>Me and you<em>  
><em>Me and you<em>

By the end of the song, my eyes were filled with tears. But thankfully, my eyes were not so blurry that I didn't see him mouth the words 'I love you'.

I sat calmly for the next ten or so songs. I was enjoying the music, but I barely registered it. My skin was tingling with anticipation of getting him away from this restaurant and back to his place.

He came back to me and smiled almost knowingly down at me. After taking a long drink of his tall glass of Irish Red Ale that Mary had brought him, he leaned over and whispered in my ear. "Alice, I have a few more songs to perform and then, we are out of here."

I kissed him lightly on the cheek before he could pull away. He lightly cupped my cheek with his large hand and turned his head until his lips met mine. The kiss was soft and sweet, but full of feeling and promise of what is to come.

When we broke the kiss, I whispered, "You said you love me."

"Is that a problem?" He asked shyly.

"No, it is definitely not a problem." I said smiling up at him. "I have been waiting for you to say that for a month now."

"I love you, Pixie." He said out loud before kissing me again.

When we finally fully separated and Jasper heads back to the stage, directly in my line of vision were two people I did not want to see, Rosalie Hale and Edward Masen. "Shit." I knew at least one of them had to have seen me.

As Jasper started his second song of this new group, I saw Rosalie rise out of her chair with a giant belly. I turned my head away as she ungracefully made her way over to my table.

"Alice," she said and I unwillingly turned my head back to her. "I thought that was you. How are you?"

"I'm fine. How are you and your co-cheater?" I snapped back as quietly as I could.

"Alice, I can't believe you would ask me like that."

"Why? You cheated on my brother with more than one guy." I said through my teeth still trying to by quiet. "Then, you got your skanky ass knocked up by my brother's best friend." I hadn't noticed the music stop, but suddenly Jasper was at my side and Edward was at Rosalie's.

Edward spat his words at me. "You have no right to say anything to my fiancé."

"Fiancé?" I yelled forgoing all pretense of being quiet. I felt Jasper's hands trying to pull me away, but with the blood and rage rushing through my body I couldn't hear him. I turned my face back to Rosalie. "I know you told Bella that you have to have a paternity test once the baby is born, but did you happen to tell the three potential fathers?"

The shock on both of their faces told me she had not.

"Edward, you might want to wait to have a wedding until she you know if that is your kid she's carrying." Then, I spun around to Jasper. As sweetly as I could, I asked him for his keys.

"Pixie, I have a feeling I am done here for tonight." He said glancing at Randall.

The older man nodded with a sad and shocked expression on his face. "We're good until next month, Jasper. I hope you will stay for one more drink on the house before you go though. I want these to out of the restaurant and off of my premises before you take your fiery woman out to the parking lot. I would hate to call the police on her for fighting."

"That sounds like a good idea. Her brother would kill me if I let her get arrested." Jasper said sitting down and pulling me into the chair next to him.

Rosalie ran crying out of the restaurant chasing a fuming Edward as Mary brought us another round of ale.

Randall sat down with us and let out a deep sigh. "We haven't had that much excitement in here in a long time."

I meekly muttered an apology to him.

"Forget about it, Alice. I have been looking for an excuse to not let those two in here for a long time." Randall said shaking his head. "I never really knew there was something twisted about them, but I have had a weird feeling about them for the past year and a half. Thanks for finally justifying it."

"You're welcome?" I said questioningly as Mary came back to the table.

"They are gone. He took off in their car, but she had to take one of the cabs that hang out by the movie theater." She explained landing in the fourth chair at the table.

I started laughing hysterically. When the three of them looked at me like I was insane, I said between laughs that Rosalie lives over an hour away in traffic in Martinez. They all joined me laughing.

After Jasper had sung a couple of more songs for the restaurant's crowd. He and I left for his apartment. I don't remember arriving, but I became aware of my surroundings when Jasper slightly jostled me as he tried to unlock his front door

He noticed my eyes were open and asked me if it was okay that he had brought me to his place instead of home.

"This is pretty much the way I envisioned us ending the night." I said turning in his arms to wrap my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. "Just make sure to get me home before noon because my parents arrive from Ireland at one."

"It sounds like I have thirteen hours to have you all to myself then." He said as he shut his door with his foot and the claimed my mouth with his.

_Author's Note~ I thought I would post a little side story since my brain is just now beginning to fully function after being really sick. Plus, this week is really crazy for me because it is the last week of school. I know kids hate taking final, but it is a real bitch grading all of them while having to pack your classroom. Anyways, the main December chapter will be posted in a couple of weeks. ~KaliCali77_

_Schooner's Grille and Brewery www. schooners brewery _


	7. December 2012

_I do not own the Twilight story or any of its characters or settings._

_I just like messing with Stephenie Meyer's characters in my own plots!_

**Cheer-Ball: December**

**December 2**

Emmett's POV

I was standing at the San Francisco Airport baggage claim waiting for my parents to arrive. I was supposed to be waiting here with Alice, but she decided it was a better use of her time to play with her cowboy.

"_Shit! Now, I have images of Alice riding Jasper cowgirl style!"_

I wish Esme and Carlisle weren't working today so at least one of them could have come with me. I did have to appreciate that they were working on a Sunday, so they could be around to spend time with my parents while Alice was at class and I was teaching for the next two weeks.

I wish I could have asked Bella to come with me, but she still wasn't talking to me. After I fooled around with Tanya in front of students and then, Tanya showing up at our house later that night had caused Bella to truly despise me. I told Bella several times through her closed door that I didn't ask Tanya to come, but she still moved over to Esme and Carlisle's house. I thought she would move back in after she had spent a few days in Forks with her father, but she has been back for a little over a week now and she was still staying over there.

I looked at my watch and realized that I still had another five minutes before my parents' flight landed. They wouldn't be down here for another fifteen or twenty.

I pulled out my phone intent on passing the time playing Words with Friends. I pulled up the app and scrolled down. I sat down hard on one of the hard plastic seat when I reached the bottom and saw that Bella hadn't played in ten days. She had forfeited our game without even caring enough to resign.

Twenty-five minutes later, my mother Irish accent interrupted me staring at the blank, black screen of my phone.

"Emmett. Emmett. Are you awake?"

I shook my head clear of the fog it was in and looked up at her. "Hello, Mum. Where is Dadai?"

"He is getting the bags. What is wrong? Why were you just sitting here, staring at your phone?" She asked with a concerned expression on her face.

"Nothing, it is nothing." I said hopping up. "I'm just tired. Let me help Dadai with the bags and then, we will be on the road."

I quickly got their bags in my jeep. Once we were on our way, my Dadai said, "I, sure as eggs, won't be making' it to home without some actual food. All they had on the plane was airplane food. Please, take us someplace close, son."

I laughed as my mother huffed from her seat beside me. "You got it. How does going to eat at Stack's sound?"

The only response was a growling stomach from the back seat.

When we were seated, my dadai immediately ordered him a Mexican omelet with orange juice. My mum ordered the fruit crepe and I got the lox scram.

As soon as the waitress left, my mum continued with the interrogation that she had tried to start at the baggage claim.

"Emmett, what is going on with you? I haven't heard from you in over a week. Then, I find you staring at a blank phone at the airport." She started ranting as my dadai rolled his eyes from across the table. "Have you been sick? Or are you just love sick?"

"What? Did you actually just use the term love sick?" I sputtered.

"Alice told me about some cheerleader coming to the house." She replied in answer to my small outburst.

I swallowed loudly before saying. "There is nothing going on with that cheerleader. She came on her own I did not invite her nor did I want her to come to the house."

"Fine. Fine. You don't have to get so defensive. I was just wondering." She said with a barely hidden smirk.

"What are you thinking now?" my dadai asked her. "You obviously have another theory bouncing around in your brain."

She playfully slapped his arm. "You know me too well. It is just a couple of random happy thoughts."

I rolled my eyes at her as the waitress appeared at our table with our food. While we were eating, our conversation focused on the crazy antics of their neighbors and their flight over.

The short ride back to the house my parents relaxed together in the backseat of my jeep. When I stopped outside the house and turned the jeep off, they were both startled to see it already.

We had just walked into the house and set down the bags when Esme and Alice came running from the kitchen.

"Mummy!" Alice screeched. "I am so glad that you are here. Christmas wouldn't be the same without you!"

"Well, I see someone is happy!" Our mum said grabbing Alice facing in between her hands. "I love this look on you. See if you can rub some of that enthusiasm off on your brother."

"Let go of the child's face, dear." My dadai said with a smile. "Now, where is my Bella daughter?"

_I am glad that my parents had fallen in love with Bella, even if they had only Skyped with her. Not that it is hard to fall in love with Bella. What in the hell did I just think?_ Then, Esme's words interrupted my thoughts.

"Uncail, I'm so sorry you will not get to meet Bella until tomorrow after school."

"Oh, that is a shame. Where is she at tonight, dear?" My mum asked before I could.

I caught Esme looking at me out of the corner of her eye. "She went out to dinner with her friend, Matt. Then, she will crash at Carlisle and my house again. She wanted to let us just have some family time tonight."

_Shit! I had hoped that with my parents here she wouldn't be able to get away from me, I mean us. Damn it, I mean me._

**December 15**

Bella's POV

"Alice, do I have to go Christmas tree shopping with you?" I whined from the cocoon of blankets that I am wrapped in. "You know that I hate the cold!"

"I know you hate the cold." Alice said while attempting to find the edge of the blanket wrapped around me to undo them. "But I need you to come with us to get a tree."

"Why?" I asked shifting slightly so that the only exposed edge was more securely under my butt.

Alice stopped looking at the blanket, placed her hands on her hips and huffed. "Take your pick. I need another woman's opinion. You are becoming a homebody with Matt, the human shield, being so busy with practices and packing to head home for a week. I actually want to see you in the new clothes I helped you shop for a month ago. I just plain want you to go with us!"

She had ended her mini rant with a very whiny voice that told me she wasn't going to give up. I looked again at the determination in her eyes and sighed.

"Fine, but you can't make me sing Christmas carols." I said sliding an arm out of the blankets to unwrap myself. "Let me just go get dressed."

"Do you really think that I will let you go get dressed by yourself?" Alice asked giggling. "I am going up with you, so you don't lock your door and crawl back into bed."

"Damn it!"

Twenty minutes and lots of giggling later, Alice and I joined her family and Jasper over at the main house.

"What took you two so long? We were about to leave without you." Jasper said giving both of them quick hugs.

"We were talking while I forced Bella to get dressed." Alice began.

"She asked me a couple of questions about you from college." I added playfully pointing at Jasper before both of us burst out giggling again.

Jasper turned to Emmett and said, "These two should never be alone together."

"It only looks bad from your side of things." Emmett said clapping him on the back. "Let's load up the vehicles."

Carlisle, Esme, Siobhan, Liam, and Emmett piled into Esme's Hummer while Jasper and Alice hopped into my truck with me.

The three of us laughed and sang along to my iPod on our way to the choose and cut tree farm in Martinez, CA. My lead foot against Esme's caused us to get there almost five minutes before her Hummer. We spent those minutes devising a plan to annoy the rest of them.

Once the big group entered the farm's tree, Alice, Jasper, and I took off running in different directions. Behind me, I heard Emmett and Carlisle groan as they watched us run.

"Mary Alice McCarty, you are in so much trouble! If Bella gets hurt, I am holding you personally responsible!" Carlisle yelled after us.

Alice and I just laughed in response. Then, I yelled, "Ready?"

Jasper answered quickly with, "Santa!"

"Claus!"

"Santa!"

"Claus!"

I paused my running for a few seconds. Through a break in the trees, I could see Emmett and Carlisle conferring with Liam. The way they were pointing and waving their hands around, I could tell they are planning on corralling one or all of us and putting an end to our fun.

I moved on and spotted Jasper yelling "Santa!" through another line of trees. I yelled "Claus!" as I put my arms in a big circle in front of me and then, pulled them closer and closer to my body. He scoffed before we both ran off in opposite directions.

Almost five minutes later, we were still playing our Christmas version of Marco Polo. I had started to see Emmett and Carlisle running through the trees as well. Plus, it sounded like Jasper and Alice were yelling the game words from the entrance.

Suddenly, Carlisle was in the row next to me and Emmett was a couple of rows ahead of me. I started backing up to get away from both of them.

My foot caught on a tree root after I had put six or seven trees in between the guys and myself. I felt my body falling backwards and my head bounced off the ground before I could even scream.

Emmett and Carlisle were by my sides in seconds with the rest of their family there after a moment.

The air around me almost instantly filled with noise

"Bella, how many fingers am I holding up?" Carlisle asked.

"I knew you shouldn't have pushed her to come." Siobhan chastised Alice.

"I should have listened to Emmett when he told me not to let you gals talk me into anything." Jasper chastised himself.

"Carlisle, is she okay?" Liam asked calmly.

"Give me her keys." Esme ordered. "I'll go start her truck to take her to the hospital."

"She will be fine. Plus, playing Santa Claus was your idea, Jasper." Alice said sarcastically.

The voice I heard the best was also the softest. Emmett bent close to my ear and whispered, "You just have to prove that you are a closet klutz sometimes, don't you?"

I started laughing about thirty seconds after his question making all of them think I had now officially hit my head enough to make me insane. Through my giggles, I said, "I'm fine. I promise. It is just a little bump. I swear there is no concussion this time."

I sat up with Carlisle and Emmett's assistance. I looked around at the group standing over me that now includes a couple of the tree farm staff.

I looked straight at one of the farm workers and pointed to one of the trees. "We will take that one."

After tying the tree securely into the back of my truck, Jasper drove my truck as we all headed toward the main house.

The guys unloaded the tree while Esme, Alice, and Siobhan prepared Irish coffee and chocolate, cranberry cookies. I was banished to the couch with ice on the back of my head.

Once the other ladies joined me on the couches, we directed the guys on where to set up the tree and were to put each and every decoration. Several hours and thirty band aids on poked fingers later, the tree was up and in its full Christmas glory.

**December 20**

Bella's POV

**Charlie Swan: **Bells- We landed and got our luggage. We are about 15 minutes from your place.

**Bella Swan: **I'm glad. I can't wait to see you.

**Bella Swan: **Daddy, can you bring me some Tylenol? The HS is barely out of your way.

**Charlie Swan: **Send me the altered directions.

I quickly sent him his new route and hoped he would get here soon.

When I was a student, I was always so excited and nervous on the last day of school before a break. I loved having the time off, but I was always nervous that a teacher would give us a pop quiz. Now that I am a teacher, what I used to feel has been multiplied by ten.

I am excited to have two weeks off to relax. I am excited to see my dad and Victoria for an entire week and showing them around the city. I am still excited to open presents like a kid.

Even with all of that to be excited about, I am very nervous to have two weeks off. I have been giving myself a headache all day because I am so nervous and anxious. I am worried because for the next two weeks I have very few solid excuses to spend long amounts of time away from Emmett.

In the part of my brain that is logical, I know I have been acting like a shy, teenage, love-struck, heartbroken girl. I still can't force myself to move back into the same house with him or even carpool with him.

While I was waiting for my dad to show, I was sitting in my classroom with my feet propped up on my desk and letting my class watch "Life is Beautiful". I was sitting there, not watching my favorite movie, but remembering the conversation Esme and I had while Emmett was collecting his parents from the airport.

"_Bella, I love having you here and waking up to fresh baked croissants almost every morning…"_

"_But…"_

"_But wouldn't you feel more comfortable and less rushed in the morning if you were living in you rooms across the way?" Esme asked as she sat down on her guest bed. "I am sure that Alice or my Aunt and Uncle would be fine staying over here. That way you can stay in your rooms and your dad can have the extra suite. You three could spend more time together and less time running in between the houses."_

"_Really, Esme? We are going to have this discussion again?" I asked turning toward her and holding up two blouses, one brown, one black._

"_The black, it shows off your chest and slim stomach best." She commented before answering my worded question. "Yes, we are having this discussion again and we will keep having it until you tell me what is actually going on. You have been staying over here since you came home from the Eagles verses Raiders game. As I said, I love the croissants and our late night talks, but you will have to deal with Emmett eventually. In my opinion, the sooner you do the better for everyone. Once the parents arrive, you won't really be able to hide from him."_

_I stuck my tongue out at her after I finished putting on and buttoning my shirt over my camisole. "Black pinstripe pencil skirt or my plum pencil skirt?"_

"_You know, your ass looks better in the plum. Now, stop avoiding my words."_

"_Thanks." I said grabbing my plum skirt out of my closet and slipping it on. "I know I have to deal with Emmett soon. I am just not sure how. Actually, I keep planning on times to talk to him and then, Tanya texts me which just pisses me off again."_

_As I slipped on my black heels, Esme said, "Bella, please explain this to me. Is there something more going on between you two that the rest of us don't know about?"_

_I sighed deeply and slumped down on the bed next to her on the bed. "There is nothing extra going on between Emmett and myself. For a long while, I wanted there to be more, but he has been, in Rosalie's words, a man–whore for the past couple of months. At the game, I was pissed at him for acting like that in front of the students. I was also extremely jealous of Tanya sitting in his lap. That is where I used to sit when he forced me to watch scary movies."_

_Esme put her arm around my shoulder and said, "Let me tell you a secret, Emmett is a guy, so he is very stupid. Plus, he is a stubborn, Irish mother-fu…"_

_Carlisle interrupted her by yelling up the stairs. "Bella, Matt is here."_

"_We will finish this later tonight or tomorrow." She said pushing me up off the bed. "Have a great time with Matt."_

I snapped back to reality and was greeted by the sounds of my students laughing. "What in this movie is that very funny?"

My know-it-all in the front row said, "It isn't the movie, Miss Swan. We are laughing at you phone."

Then, my phone started to ring again. It filled the room with the song, _I Shot the Sherriff_ by Bob Marley.

"Hi, Daddy. Are you at the high school?" I asked immediately after answering the phone.

"I'm here, Bells. Victoria and I are in a navy SUV in the theater parking lot." He answered.

"Give me a minute or two and I will be there. I just have to get a babysitter for the immature students in my class." I said smirking at my class.

Angela yelled, "We aren't the ones that have _I Shot the Sherriff_ as our father's ring tone!"

Apparently, my dad heard her. "Isabella Marie Swan, I thought I told you to change that!" My dad said in his stern, police officer tone.

"Sorry, Daddy. I will be out there in a second." I said sheepishly and then, hung up. "Thanks, Angela. I will remind you however that it might not be the smartest thing to piss off your teacher right before Christmas break. That could result in surprise homework to be done over break." Then, I left the room to go get some relief.

After I texted jasper to watch my class, I rounded a couple of corners and when down some stairs to get to the theater parking lot. I saw my dad in the rented SUV and ran to him.

"Hey, Daddy," I said with relief. "I am so glad you were willing to bring me some Tylenol. Those kids are killing me today."

"Here you go, Bells. We will get out of your hair, so you can finish the rest of your day." My dad said handing me a few Tylenol pills.

"Thanks." I said before leaning up on my toes to kiss his cheek. "Hi, Victoria. Did you have a nice flight down?"

"It was nice. Your dad slept like a baby." Victoria said teasingly. "We'll talk to when you get home because it looks like we have a small audience over there."

I turned to see what she was taking about. My class and Jasper were standing on the stairs leading from the theater.

"I guess I didn't pick a good babysitter." I said with a sigh. I started to walk toward my class as I said "I will see you two at the house."

I reached the waiting group as my dad revved his rented engine. "Mr. Whitlock, you have some explaining to do."

"I have explaining to do? What about you, Miss Swan?" Jasper said in a surprisingly shock and fatherly tone.

I looked at Angela and she shook her head indicating that they didn't tell him that I was meeting my father. "Kids, get back to the classroom. I will be there in a moment." As they walked away, I linked my arm with my old friend.

When my students were back in the room, Jasper started talking. "Bella, please tell me you are not doing anything illegal or icky."

"Really, Jasper, you are going to ask me that?"

"That scene I just saw didn't look good. It looked like that guy just gave you drugs." Jasper said in a rushed whisper.

"Well, he did." I said with a sly smile.

"WHAT?"

"Plus, he likes it when I call him Daddy." I said adding to his confusion.

While Jasper was so angry he could spit, Emmett came up to us and surprised me. "Bella, your students said your dad just stopped by to give you some headache medicine. You didn't need to do that you could have just texted me and not bothered him."

"That was your dad? You are so twisted. I'll see you later for dinner." Jasper said hitting my lightly on my shoulder.

I laughed at him as he walked away and then, turned to Emmett. "I'll remember that you have some medicine the next time I have a headache."

He tried to catch me before I went back to hiding in my classroom, but I was able to brush him off by silently rubbing my temples reminding him that I have a headache.

At the end of the day, Jasper followed me to the house. He had already met Alice and Emmett's parents, but even though we had friends for so long he had never met my dad.

Walking into the house, Alice almost pushed me through the wall to get at Jasper. "Hello to you too, Alice."

"Hey, Bella. Your dad is awesome!" Alice said in between kisses.

I continued on into the house to find both sets of parents lounging in the living room being served iced tea by Carlisle. I leaned over the back of the couch and kissed my dad on the cheek. "So, Dad, I hear from Alice that you are awesome. Please tell me you didn't promise to show her how to shoot a gun."

"I only promised to take her to a range and let her watch me shoot." He answered dryly.

I slapped his chest playfully and said, "That pixie can be very persuasive. Make sure that you take someone beside Alice with you."

"Hey, I don't approve of those statements!" Alice said from the doorway indignantly.

Emmett and Jasper laughed behind her. Then, Emmett said, "Little pixie the rest of us do approve though."

"Now that we all know that my pixie usually gets what she wants, can we discuss dinner?" Liam said from the couch near the fireplace.

"Is that all you think about on vacation?" Esme asked from the kitchen.

"That is my kind of man." My dad adds.

**December 21**

Bella's POV

I forced my eyes shut tighter when I felt the bed move next to me.

"Bella… Bella… It is time to wake up." Alice whispered into my ear.

"I'm sleeping. I told all of you that I really wanted to sleep in on my first day of Winter Break."I answered as I turned away from her with my eyes still closed. "I have done this since I was elementary school. Let me have my extra sleep and back off!"

She smacked my ass hard and revealed some information. "It is one in the afternoon. I have been waiting for you to wake up since nine this morning."

"I am done with my Christmas shopping, so I won't be going to the mall with you."

"I wasn't going to ask you to go to the mall with me. I am going to hit the sales with Victoria tomorrow while you and Charlie run your errand." Her tone was so honest and conspiratorial at the same time that turned onto my side to look at her. Her face was sincere, but very excited.

"Okay." I said drawing out the word. "I believe that you aren't trying to drag me anywhere. So, why have you been waiting for four hours for me to wake up?"

"You got presents!" She screeched.

"I know." I said exasperatedly as I turned away from her. I yawned as I continued, "We all have presents under the tree. I think your parents brought two suitcases that only had present in them."

The devil pixie grabbed my side and pulled me back toward her. "You are so silly, Bella! You have two NEW presents!"

The surprised and confused look on my face caused her to answer my unspoken question.

"One of your new presents showed up on our doorstep this morning. I guess you didn't tell your secret Santa that you moved across the drive. The other present came in the mail. Odd though, it doesn't have a return address."

"Well? Where are they?" I asked knowing that Alice would have them close. She didn't disappoint. She pulled a medium sized, flat box that I hadn't noticed from my nightstand and she placed it in my hands as I sat up to lean back against the headboard. Then, she turned around, still on my bed, and picked up a large brown paper covered, heavy, flat box from the floor.

"Open the little one first." She said bouncing after dramatically setting the mailed package next to me.

I hoped that I had guessed right at who had sent me this gift. It was wrapped in shiny, black paper with silver fireworks that look like pompoms on it. I took the wrapping off and then, opened the box inside. I took the wrapping off neatly and opened the box. Inside was a black, blank picture frame with a post-it on it. The teal note said "Turn me on!"

Alice couldn't control herself and flipped it on.

Suddenly, the frame was filled with a picture of me and my squads on the football field. Alice laid her head on my shoulder and we watched the digital frame for the next ten minutes. It went through so many fun times that I had already shared with me girls: with Angela on the field at Homecoming, doing push-up on the field and in the gym, curling up under blankets at the Raiders game, and so many more.

When the pictures had looped back around to the beginning, Alice and I were wiping our tears.

"That was the sweetest thing, Bella." Alice said sniffing.

"I know. I love those girls." I said sniffing myself. I set the frame down on the nightstand on my side of the bed. "Okay, next package."

She helped me slide the heavy package onto my lap. I opened the package carefully since I had no clue what it is or who it is from.

As soon as Alice and I could see what was behind the glass, we scrambled out of my bed, ran down the hall, and jumped into bed with Esme who was taking a nap.

"WHAT IN THE FUCKING HELL IS GOING ON WITH YOU TWO?" Esme screamed when we landed on either side of her.

Alice couldn't answer. She just kept saying, "Bad present. That is a bad, bad present."

I wasn't much better, but I finally managed a couple of understandable sentences. "The present I got in the mail. It was an enlarged picture of me."

"Oh, my God!" Esme said wrapping her arms around me tightly. "Let me call your dad to come over."

I pulled away sharply. "NO! No! My dad can't know. He doesn't know anything about this. Please don't call him."

She pulled me close again and smoothed my hair. "Okay, we won't tell him. But we need to get someone to hid that picture while your dad is here."

"JASPER!" Alice suddenly screamed.

"Good thinking, Alice. Jasper knows some of what has happened in the past." I said jumping at anyone else besides my Chief of a father.

A half hour later, Esme, Alice, Jasper, and I were sitting in the kitchen drinking some hot tea trying to settle down. Jasper had put the framed picture in the trunk of his car and was shaken himself because he saw that Alice's hand was in the top corner of the photo.

Esme looked up and in no uncertain terms said, "We forget about this for now. This sounds like something or someone we all need to be worried about. Right now is not the time, though. With the two sets of parents here and Bella's refusal to tell her dad, we will forget about this craziness for now. But as soon as the holidays are over, this will all be laid out."

"Shit, Esme. You can be pretty scary sometimes." Alice said with a small laugh. "Remind me to be really nice to your kids, they will need it."

**December 25**

Charlie's POV

"Charlie, have you finished wrapping your presents yet?" Victoria called to me from Bella's bathroom. "We are supposed to be meeting your daughter and everyone else downstairs in five minutes."

I was currently on my hands and knees running my hand in between the mattress and the box spring searching for one last illusive gift. I had actually finished wrapping all of my presents before we even left Forks, but she didn't need to know that. "I'm almost done, Victoria. Just give me a minute or two more, please?" I called back to her through the door.

I heard her grumbling to herself as I continued my search. Finally, a large smile spread across my face when my fingers collided with the little blue box that Bella had hidden there.

I pulled it out and fixed the white, ribbon bow on the top. I moved to the end of the bed and looked over sure all of my other presents were piled on Bella's desk. After taking a breath, I said, "Okay, I'm all done. You can come out of the bathroom now."

Victoria quickly opened the door. "It is about time, Char…" She stopped dead when she saw me standing nervously twirling the small Tiffany's box in my hands. "Char… um… Charlie, what are you doing?"

"Victoria, can you come sit with me? I want to give you your present before we head downstairs to open thing with everyone else." I said with my voice filled with more confidence than I actually feel.

She walked over to me, stumbling slightly in her confusion. She sat lightly next to me on the foot of the bed.

"Victoria, I know we haven't been seeing each other for a long time. I know that I may not be the richest or smartest men. I am just a small town sheriff. But even with all of that, I don't want to spend another day or night without you in my life." I opened the blue box and pulled out the velvet ring box. "Victoria Lefevre, will you marry me?"

Victoria gasped and then, stayed completely silent for a full minute. She finally breathed loudly and screamed.

"Yes! Of course, my answer is yes!" She pulled me to her and kissed me with more passion than ever before.

As Victoria became truly aggressive and began lowering us to the bed, Bella's bedroom door burst open. We broke apart so quickly that I slid backwards to the floor.

I looked up at the doorway to see Carlisle, Liam, Emmett, and Jasper standing there breathing heavily. I knew exactly what had happened. They had heard Victoria scream and being gentlemen, they rushed to her rescue.

I shook my head at them. "Are you seriously thinking that I would hurt her in any way, gentlemen? I am a Sherriff for Christ sakes."

I heard Emmett mumble under his breath. "Yeah, but you are a Sherriff in the middle of the woods."

"Watch it, Emmett. Many more comments like that and I will forget that I said I wouldn't tell your secret. You know the one that has to do with…"

"I got it, Charlie!" Emmett shouted stopping me from continuing as we heard Bella, Esme, Siobhan and Alice giggling from the bottom of the stairs.

Victoria lightly smacked my arm regaining my attention. "All of the other females knew?"

"How else would I have gotten you distracted so Bella and I could run off to Tiffany's?" I answered laughing.

Alice yelled from the bottom of the stairs. "I am going to start opening presents in ten seconds! If you aren't down here by the time Bella and I get to your pile, I will open them as well!"

The rest of the guys took her threat seriously and ran down the stairs.

I started across the room, but Victoria stayed sitting on the bed.

"Victoria, are you coming?" I asked wondering what she was thinking.

"I am not a kid anymore." She said smiling. "Besides, I think Bella will help us out and put our piles at the end of the line."

Emmett's POV

I have been watching Bella and Esme as the rest of us open our piles of presents. Even though the two of them made mimosas for everyone and eggs Benedict with crisp bacon, they made sure none of us touched Charlie and Victoria's presents.

Once all of the other presents were opened and everyone was full, we broke up into small groups. Esme and Carlisle took their presents along with Bella's to their house across the way. Alice and Jasper went into the basement game room to hopefully challenge each other on the games they had gotten each other for Christmas. My mum and dadai sat close to each other on the couch nearest to the roaring fireplace checking out the iPad that Alice and I had gotten each of them for Christmas. Bella began to clean up the kitchen after she set aside a couple of egg and bacon sandwiches for dad and his fiancé.

I opted to join Bella in cleaning up. She noticed me joining her and moved over at the sink so I could rinse the dishes. We worked in silence for several moments before she quietly said thank you.

I glanced over my shoulder to make sure no one could hear. "Bella, you don't have to thank me. You shouldn't have to do the dishes since you and Esme made breakfast."

"That's not all I was thanking you for." She said glancing toward the living room over her shoulder.

I stayed quiet, waiting to see if she would elaborate. She didn't. "What are you thanking me for then?"

She slapped her hands down into the soapy dish water. "Are you really going to make me rehash my immature attitude toward you for the past month? Or the fact that you let me have my space, while still being there and reminding me you were ready to be friends again the moment I decided to?"

I nudged her shoulder with mine. "Nope, but let's get these dishes done. Then, we can go kick Alice and Jasper's asses at pool."

She gave me a soapy fist bump before returning to washing the dishes faster.

Esme's POV

I was standing in the hallway and happened to catch the conversation of the two at the sink. Carlisle came in behind me and I silently told him to stay quiet.

"Bella and Emmett have made up." I mouth to him silently.

With a gigantic smile on his face, he whispered, "Does this mean we get our house and Naked Thursdays back?"

I stifled my giggles and whispered back, "I sure as hell hope so. Now, let's go take all of Jasper and Alice's money at pool before those two sharks get done with the dishes."

**December 27**

Alice's POV

_Charlie keeps looking at me in more than an Alice has a gun in her hand kind of way. What is going on in that normally stoic man's head?_

"Alice what is going on between my daughter and your brother?" Charlie asked before firing off a couple of rounds. "When Vic and I first got here, they were avoiding each other. Now, I don't know what they are doing really."

"Firstly, he wasn't avoiding her, she was avoiding him." I said trying to aim at the target ten feet away. "Charlie, if you don't stop staring at me like that I am going to turn you in for being a dirty old man. I will do it even if you are newly engaged."

Charlie chuckled in the booth next to me. "I always remember part of Bella's nickname for you, but sometimes I forget the other." After a strange look from me through the glass, he continued. "Just looking at you, I remember the pixie part. I often forget the demon/devil part until you open your mouth."

With as much sarcasm as I can muster, I answer back. "I certainly have the best of friends, don't I?"

"You have to know that Bella only gives nicknames to those she truly lets in." He said in a softer voice tone of voice full of thought. "Demon pixie is her name for you. Matt is Matty Bear. Jasper is Jas or Mr. Whitlock. Esme is elf because she is so cute. Carlisle's nickname isn't very original, it is just Doc Blonde. Rosalie is the Baroness, but I am not sure why."

After a short pause, I swallowed, pulled the trigger of the gun, and then, pulled a metaphorical trigger. "What does she call Edward, Emmett, and Jake?"

"I don't know about Jake anymore. She never talks about him." Charlie said realizing that statement. "Anyways, Edward is just Edward. She said he gives her a tense vibe especially lately. Emmett is just Emmett or Em." He said pulling the trigger again.

"Oh," I said trying to line up my next shot. This shot was going to be much more difficult since my eyes had begun filing with tears.

Suddenly, Charlie's hand was on top of mine. He carefully eased my finger off of the trigger and took the gun from my hand. "He is only Emmett because she likes him so much. Unless she is really annoyed with him at the moment, she says his name with an admiring tone to her voice."

"Really?" I asked excitedly as he set both of our guns down.

"Really."

I surprised him by jumping into his arms and giving him a gigantic hug. "I am so happy to hear that."

"I think the entire Walnut Creek Police precinct knows you are excited. Can I put you down now?"

"Sorry, Charlie." I giggled as I hopped out of his arms.

As we started out of the range, I heard Charlie mutter under his breath. "I am not a dirty old man, but you are almost the poster child for jailbait."

_Author's Note~_

_Please, let me know what you think! Please be kind, my boyfriend typed most of this chapter since I have been dealing with two broken arms all summer. I have been slowly trying to do edits and corrections for the past two weeks._

_I have to give credit to my friend, Tamera, for Bella's words when Jasper caught her getting meds from her dad. That actually happened right before the end of the school year last year. ~KaliCali77_

_Check out the banner for this story made by _ Christag_Banner at pbckt pW. R1ImZM

_Pictures of the house that inspired the McCarty/Swan house are at www. villa vianci Just remove the spaces._

_The Stacks' restaurant website is: www. stacks restaurant .com_

_Picture of the engagement ring Charlie gives Victoria: international. tiffany Engagement/ item. aspx? GroupSku =GRP10015 &selectedSku =23101653#f+ 0/1008/2001/3001/ 4003/4003_


	8. January 2013

_I do not own the Twilight story or any of its characters or settings._

_I just like messing with Stephenie Meyer's characters in my own plots!_

_I hope you enjoy this. It took me a long time to rewrite and rewrite._

**Cheer-Ball: January 2013**

**December 31, 2012 BPOV**

"_You wake up late for school, man you don't wanna go_

_You ask you mom, "Please?", but she still says, "No!"_

_You missed two classes, and no homework_

_But your teacher preaches class like you're some kind of jerk _

_You gotta fight for your right to party_

_Don't step out of this house if that's the clothes you're gonna wear_

_I'll kick you out of my home is you don't cut that hair_

_Your mom busted in and said, "What's that noise?"_

_Aw, mom you're just jealous it's the Beastie Boys!" _

Bree and I yelled and danced along with everyone else in the room.

I leaned over and said in Bree's ear "If I keep singing with you, I am going to lose my voice!"

"Yea, but what a way to lose it!" Bree yelled back at me on the makeshift dance floor in the living room. "I am so glad you talked them into having it again this year."

"_That sounds a little odd."_ I thought before asking, "Why wouldn't they have it? I thought this New Year's Eve party is a McCarty and Cullen tradition."

She pulled me down even more to her height while looking completely shocked. "You don't know?"

"With the way you said that, I guess I don't know."

Still holding onto my arm, she turned and said something in her husband's ear. After a quick kiss on his cheek, she led me out through the dancing bodies. We check everywhere downstairs for a place to talk, but there was none to be found.

Just after she dragged me past the front door to head up the stairs, it opened with a bang. Standing there in all of their scantily clad glory was Jessica and Lauren.

I sat down hard on the stairs amazed at the boldness of their outfits and for showing up at two teachers' house. Jessica pushed her way toward the dance floor dragging Lauren and Mike behind her. Mike was dressed as a typical guy in a blue button down and jeans. On the other hand, the girls were dressed, if you could call it that, in either gold or silver sequined covered triangles on the top with a matching band of sequins around their hips.

"Is that a tightly woven mesh holding the skirts to their tops or is it just a sheer material?" Bree asked me in wonder as she sat down next to me.

I looked at her in complete surprise. I couldn't believe that was what she was focused on. "Really, Bree? That is what you want to talk about?"

"Sorry, I am nervous and I ramble when I am nervous." Bree said with a sly smile. "What the hell are those three doing here?"

"I have no idea, but I intend to find out." I said as I stood up with more confidence than I actually had.

Before I could take two steps, Emmett stepped into the room. The look that overtook his face was utterly priceless. It was a mixed of shock, horror, and forced revulsion. He swiftly crossed over to the trio of teenagers and tapped Mike on the shoulder. When mike turned around still dancing, Emmett quietly threatened, "If you don't vacate my house right now and take your two girlies with you, Notre Dame will be getting a phone call about your trespassing arrest."

As Mike grabbed Jessica and Lauren's arms to rush them out the door, he called, "Have a great night, Coach!"

Emmett chuckled and turned toward Bree and myself still standing near the stairs. "Having a good night, ladies?"

I was a little shocked at the display of authority that he had just shown that Bree had to answer. "We are having a lovely time." She subversively looked at me and added, "It is great to see you happy again."

Emmett looked a little sheepish, but nodded and headed up the stairs.

I gave Bree a questioning look and she just shrugged a little two innocently. We had just begun heading up the stairs again when we heard Emmett bellow from the floor above us. We raced up the stairs to see him groping his way blindly out of Alice's room.

"Emmett, what is wrong with you?" I questioned him.

He shook violently from head to toe. With his eyes still closed, he gasped out, "Alice… in swing… Jasper's white ass… Alice yelled 'Fuck me harder, Cowboy'… Going to be sick!"

Bree and I looked at each other and burst out laughing as Emmett took off toward the nearest bathroom.

"I think I need to clean out my ears." Bree said between her subsiding giggles as we descended the stairs a couple of minutes later.

"The only way to forget that mental image is shots, shots, and more shots!" I answered laughing back.

"Sounds like fun!" Emmett booms from behind us. "Someone LINE THEM UP!"

**January 1, 2013 BPOV**

"Here are your coffees, girlies." Esme said in a quiet voice as she joined Alice and me in the hot tub. "Small warning, it does have a small bit of vodka in it to help counter act last night."

"It really does pay to have a doctor in the family." Alice said in a softer version of her normal high tone. She passed my mug to me before grabbing her own and taking a small sip. "I love the smell of vodka and coffee in the morning."

"She has said that every New Year's Day since she was sixteen." Esme laughed as she slipped into the hot tub beside me. All three of us covered our ears at the loud sound.

"Maybe no more laughing," I commented to no one. "I can't believe how much alcohol we went through last night. Seriously, almost 30 bottles of wine, 30 bottles of vodka, and who can count how many bottles of champagne."

Esme shook her head and then, placed her hands over her eyes to settle her now spinning brain. "Two years ago was worse. We had almost all of the Raiders, Raiderettes, and their significant others."

"That was an insane party. Both houses were lit up and there were people everywhere for almost two full days." Alice chimed in.

"Is that why Bree said she was so glad I talked you into having the party again this year?" I asked remembering what Bree had asked me at some point last night.

Alice and Esme exchange secretive looks before Esme countered with, "Where did you get the idea we weren't going to have it.

"Bree mentioned something." I answered honestly not understanding all of the secretiveness.

Alice piped up with, "She must have thought we were cancelling all parties for this year when we didn't have any of our summer bashes or football parties last summer and fall."

"Why didn't you have those?" I asked. "I wasn't here for the summer, but weekly football parties would have been fun."

Esme took the practical, evasive approach this time, "Our Memorial Day party last year went rather lopsided and we just needed a break."

"Did you have any crashers like we did last night?" I asked taking a drink of my doctored coffee and trying to pry a little more information from them.

Esme winced while laughing again. "I don't think I have ever seen Emmett so embarrassed and pissed as when Lauren and Jessica walked in with Mike Newton."

"It didn't help that those two were wearing almost dresses!" Alice giggled as she remembered. "I know some hookers that wouldn't wear those outfits."

"I still can't believe that they found matching dress shaped scrapes of fabric in gold and silver sequins. If you took all of that nasty sheer black fabric away, they might have enough fabric for a doll's dress." Esme laughed snorting.

Alice cut across Esme's laughter. "Speaking of Emmett, what are you going to do about that brother of mine?"

"We weren't speaking of Emmett, but what do you mean, Alice?" I asked trying to sound as innocent and oblivious as possible.

Alice guffawed. "Don't give me that! Emmett may have walked in on Jasper and I having sex, but almost the whole party witnessed that kiss between you two."

I felt my face heat up to a boiling point with their stares. "Well, that is beside the point."

Esme choked on the sip of coffee and vodka that she had just taken.

"Beside the point my ass," Alice said a little too sharply. "You two finally become friends again at Christmas and then, you kiss so intensely that I think my panties caught on fire on New Year's Eve. Are you to getting together or was it just a onetime thing?"

"I do not know." I answered under my breath. They both shot me a disbelieving look, so I sighed and said, "I don't know. I have only seen him in passing since that kiss. Remember, he stared at me for about ten seconds and laughed. Then, he walked up to his room and slammed the door."

"Did you like kissing him? Do you want something more than friendship with Emmett?" Esme asked like she was one of my students gossiping with her girlfriends, not like she was the guy in question's cousin.

"You don't have to answer that, Bella." Alice said butting in. "I have already seen my brother kiss her. I really don't need to hear about in descriptive detail."

"I liked it, but he laughed afterward." I said trying to satisfy both of them.

"I really don't think he was laughing at you or your kissing abilities." Esme quickly said.

Alice added, "I think he was trying to laugh off the awkward feelings and teasing from the crowd that was going on."

"Thanks, Alice." Esme and I said at the same time.

"What? No, that is not what I meant. I…" Alice started to defend herself, but was interrupted by the ringing of my cell phone.

I held my hand up and picked up my cell quickly. "Hey, Edward."

"Hi, Bella. I have a favor to ask and I am afraid it is a big one." Edward said sounding a little wary and rushed.

With a small smile, I countered with, "I will not take over Rose's pregnancy, but other than that I am probably game. What do you need?"

"Rose is almost due and I have to go out of town for a week." He started. "I don't feel right leaving her alone…"

"Would you like me to come over and stay with Rose to get her to the hospital if she goes into early labor?" I asked trying to curb him from drawing out his explanation even longer.

"If that would be possible for you to do," Edward said pleadingly.

"Yeah, I can do it. Just when school starts again next week, I will have the office know to put through any call from her no matter what." I said thinking out loud. "When do you need me?"

"Tonight?" he answered hesitantly

"Edward…"

"This trip was sprung on me at the very last minute. Plus, Rose's mother is out of town right now, too."

"Okay, okay, tell her I will be there in a couple of hours. I just need to pack." I said as I climbed out of the hot tub. I ended the call and wrapped myself in my fluffy, beach towel. "Okay, ladies. This was fun, but friend duty calls. Rose is close to being due with the baby and Edward has to go out of town."

"Really? At the drop of the 'I am pregnant' hat and you go running to her?" Emmett asks from behind me. I spun around to face him. "I can't believe Rose has you so wrapped around her little finger."

"I can't believe you are trying to alienate me from the first friends that I made when I moved here! Again!" I argued back. "You know, I just don't think I will ever be able to win with you." Then, I started toward the back door of the house.

"Bella!" Alice and Emmett call at the same time.

I ignored Emmett and answered Alice's earlier question. "I guess the answer to your question is one time thing."

Alice sank back into the water, muttering to Esme that we are both idiots as I walked into the house to pack for several days away.

**January 8, 2013 EmPOV**

~7am

"Oh  
>Back To School<br>Back To School  
>To Prove To Dad That I'm Not A Fool<br>I've Got My, Lunch Packed Up  
>My Boots Tied Tight<br>I Hope I Don't Get In A Fight  
>Oh<br>Back To School  
>Back To School<br>Back To School" I quietly sang as I slowly meandered around the kitchen this morning while getting out my orange juice.

"You are so sad and pathetic, Emmett." Alice yelled as she walked to the kitchen with her fingers plugging her ears. "You have been celebrating your birthday since January 2nd and you will probably continue to celebrate until January 31st. Get over yourself already!"

"Give him a break, Alice. It must suck to have to go back to school on your actual birthday." Esme said shushing my sister and placating me as she walked into our kitchen. Then, she placed plates full of golden buttermilk pancakes smothered under heaps of strawberries and fresh whipped cream. "Happy Birthday, Emmett!"

"Thanks, Esme!" I said as I picked up my fork and dug in. With a mouthful, I added, "You make the best pancakes."

"They are not mine. Tell Bella when you get to school. She had left her recipe book at my house and I decided to try." Esme said with a chuckle.

I huffed and almost pushed my plate away. "Not you, too, Alice has been riding my ass about one little kiss all week. We were drunk and didn't realize anything was happening until it happened."

"You didn't have to crow about it to everyone that would listen though." Alice said joining in.

I opened my mouth to speak, but I really didn't have a response for that, so I shoved another bite of Bella's famous pancakes into my mouth. I finished quickly and headed out the door to make it to school before there was too much traffic.

I barely glanced up to see if Bella's truck was still missing. It was. The drive way completely wet with no truck sized, rectangular dry spots.

Esme caught up with me at my jeep. "Emmett, talk to her."

"It is not me!" I sighed back at her.

"I still say you need to talk to her. She is confused. Her only relationship from her past was scary and abusive. Talk to her and gently get her to see that all guys aren't like that Jake guy."

I opened the passenger door of my jeep and set my messenger bag in the seat and shut the door again before answering. "I'll try to talk to her if she will let me. Edward has to come home from his business trip soon, right?"

~10am

"Mr. McCarty?" Angela shyly asked as she walked into my room during my prep period.

I took my feet off of my desk and greeted her. "Miss Webber, how can I help you this morning?"

"I… I have something for you." She stammered out as if she was afraid to tell me.

My interest was definitely peaked, usually things weren't delivered they are placed in our mailboxes in our house office. Leaning my elbows onto the desk, I asked "Who is it from?"

"Please, don't make me say, Mr. McCarty." She almost begged. "I do not want to get in the middle of anything."

"It is alright, Angela." I said hoping to calm her and keep her from having a heart attack from worrying so much. "Just bring it up to me and you can be on your way."

She practically ran from my classroom after dropping a small, triangular package on the very corner of my desk.

I picked up the package and turned it over and over in my hands. The card slipped out from underneath the ribbon on the fourth or fifth spin. I sat the present down and picked up the small forest green envelope.

_Emmett~_

_You deserve so much on your birthday._

_As for now, I can only give you a small token._

_Isabella_

I read the words several times before I place the card underneath my computer keyboard. I picked up the present and the end of third period bell rang.

~12:28pm

The bell for the end of third period rang and I rushed my students from the room. After shutting the door and making sure it was locked, I rushed back to my desk and pulled Bella's present from my top desk drawer. I ripped the paper open and gaped at the present inside. I set it carefully down and sank down into my chair.

~10pm

After my favorite meal of corned beef, red potatoes, and cabbage, I opened presents from Esme, Carlisle, Alice, and Jasper.

Esme and Carlisle got me a new roll bar for my jeep with teal Frost High accessories. I particularly love my new teal and silver striped fire extinguisher holder.

Alice surprised me with season tickets for the Oakland Athletics. I shouldn't have been surprised that there were actually six tickets in the envelope. She immediately yanked four of them from my hand to pass them out to everyone. Then, she not so slyly suggested that I use the extra ticket for a friend, a special someone, and/or a roommate.

Jasper made me the happiest of all four of them. He had nominated the Frost High Football team for a Nike sponsorship and we were finalists. We would have all new uniforms, pads, cleats, and helmets.

Not long after dinner and presents, the couples had gone off separately to do couple things that I do not want to know about. I went to bad shortly after them to get up early in the morning to run off the cake and ice cream we had celebrated with.

~2 am January 9, 2013

I am STILL awake. I have been laying here for hours and I just can't sleep. I have tried falling asleep in every position I have ever felt comfortable in and I can't sleep. My mind is still reeling from the gift I had left in my desk drawer. I hadn't trusted myself to bring it home and not show it to at least Alice. I didn't want to show anyone, yet. I want to keep that all to myself. Well, at least until I can get Bella to talk to me.

**January 11-15, 2013 3-Day Weekend **

FRIDAY NIGHT EmPOV

Alice bounced into my bedroom without knocking. "Emmett, I have some news for you!"

I jerked my covers up over myself. "Mary Alice, what the fuck? I have told you since we were kids, do not just bust into my room!"

Alice jumped onto my bed, grinning. "Why? Are you doing something naughty? Are you jerking off? Or spit-shining the old water pump? Or waxing the brass candlestick? Or beating off? Or playing cards with only one hand on the table? Or riding the quarter-horse? Or joining the mile-high club, the solo-aviator division? Or giving in to the hand police? Or practicing self-actualization? Or fully realizing your potential? Are you masturbating while thinking about Bella?"

I lay in my bed completely slack jawed for several seconds before I got completely grossed out. "ALICE! Get the Fuck out of my room!"

She hopped closer to me on my bed and said in a sing song voice, "I know something about Bella you don't know!"

"You know lots of things about Bella that I don't know." I said slightly pouting. "She won't talk to me."

"Moving on from that pity party, Sponge Bob Sour Pants." Alice said poking me in the side. "Tomorrow morning when you roll out of bed at 11, Bella will be back."

"Really?" I asked excitedly almost dropping my comforter.

"Yes, but I really didn't come in to see a show." Alice laughed. She hopped off my bed and danced toward the door. Over her shoulder, she said, "Make sure you save some of that show for Bella. Rumor is she has calmed down and will listen if you are willing to apologize for trying to control who is her friends."

SATURDAY AFTERNOON BPOV

I arrived home just in time to be whisked over to Esme and Carlisle's house for a girl's lunch. We ended up giggling so hard that my ribs hurt. Then, after spending some time in the hot tub to relax my sore muscles, I finally shut myself in my bedroom and began to unpack.

My door slammed open as I was placing the last of my folded clothing into my dresser drawer. Without even turning around, I said, "Mary Alice McCarty! I swear if you don't stop barging in on me, I will have to call your mum and tell her about the video you made with Jasper!"

I heard a gasp behind me that was very much male and very much not Alice. I whipped around and came face to face with a very white faced Emmett. "Emmett, I'm sorry! You weren't supposed to hear that."

He swallowed several times before saying, "I am begging you here. Please tell me that was a joke. I don't think I could handle knowing that there is a DVD of them together that I could possibly, accidently watch at some point in time. Lie to me if you have to."

I laughed at him and his expression before turning around and shutting my drawer. "I don't know if they have made a home video of themselves, but I wouldn't put it past the Demon Pixie. I just figured that would be a safe threat for me to throw at her."

"Oh, okay, I feel a little better then."

I whipped by around, took my phone out of my back pocket, and leaned against my dresser. "Emmett, is there something you needed? I am trying to unpack and I have some grading to do later." As I talked, I looked at my phone and pretended to be texting while actually programming my fake phone call app to get me out of this conversation in about two minutes.

"Why did you get me that present?" He asked all in one breathe. "I need to know, why did you get me that?"

"Why do you want to know?" I asked starting to get nervous that I had gotten him the wrong thing. "I really thought you would like it."

He crossed the room to me. "I do. I love it. It has been a while since I had anything with a Claddagh on it."

I slide to the side to get away from him and my phone "rang".

"Is that important?" He asked quickly. "I really want to finish this conversation."

"It is just Jasper." I said turning off the app and stepping over to my bed. "I will call him back later." Now, that I had the option of an out, I realized that I want to finish this conversation.

Emmett leaned back against my dresser as I sat on the edge of my bed. He rubbed his face with his hands before he started talking. "Bella, I never meant to try to tell you who you can be friends with. Rosalie and Edward turn me into a landmine. When she wraps people I care about around her little finger, I explode. With Edward, I just don't want you to be betrayed by him like I was."

He pauses when I roll my eyes. "You are giving your ex-girlfriend way too much power over you."

"Hello, Pot. I'm Kettle and I already knew we are black."

"Ha, ha, ha. My ex is different. He is dangerous." I retorted snootily. "You saw that Christmas present he sent me."

"You are right about him, but we are getting distracted." He said nodding. "We need to talk about us instead of rehashing our ex-significant others."

"What do you what about us do you want to talk about?" I said leaning forward to rest my hands on my knees and hiding behind my hair. "We are friends."

He was suddenly right in front of me. He placed his right index finger softly under my chin. He gently nudged my face upward to make me look into his eyes. "Bella, I haven't been a very good friend to you and I have finally figured out why. I don't want to be friends with you anymore."

"Oh," I breathed out and tears formed in my eyes.

"Oops. I missed a word there. I meant just friends." He said quickly trying to recover. "I care for you and want to protect you more than I should for just a friend, which is, also, why I react so stupidly when it comes to you."

I gulped and tried to make sense of what he was saying. When I thought I had figured it out, I asked, "What do you liking me in more than a just friend's way mean?"

Suddenly, his lips were on mine. They weren't hard or forceful, but they were firm, insistent, and passionate. His right hand moved from just touching my chin to cupping my left cheek.

I stayed frozen for about thirty seconds before I reacted. My lips started moving with his. My right hand slid up his arm that was brace on the bed, over his shoulder, along his neck, and into his hair.

We parted, panting for breath. He placed his forehead on mine and stared intensely into my eyes.

"I think I understand what you meant now." I giggled and kissed him again.

MONDAY NIGHT BPOV

"Bella, it is time to wake up." Emmett whispered in my ear.

"Don't want to!" I mumbled back. I turned in his arms and snuggled even closer to his side.

He chuckled at my childish antics and tickled my side. "I was just thinking."

I giggled into his side. "Oh, no, you thinking is never a good thing!"

He tickled my ribs and said, "We are together now."

"Right…"

"We have spent almost every minute together this weekend."

"True…" I said not understanding where he was heading.

"What is going to happen tomorrow when we go back to school?"

I sat up a little to be able to see his face. "It is completely up to us. We should tell Principal Greene because he is our boss, but I don't see who else really matters."

"Jasper doesn't matter?" He asked accusingly.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Jasper and Alice snuggled on the other couch while we watched Revenge last night. Remember?"

"Nope, I am not getting any images of that picture."

I lightly smacked his chest. "You and your selective memory are not funny."

"Really? I thought we were hilarious." He said with a mock insulted tone. He changed back to his normal tone and asked, "So, you really don't want to tell anyone?"

"I wouldn't mind if you wanted to tell someone, but you know I hate being the center of attention."

He put his finger to his lips to think of a moment. He smiled widely before adopting a fake frown. "So, I guess a sky writer or banner flying overhead is out?"

"Exactly." I said shaking my head vigorously. "Let's just let everyone find out naturally."

"Okay." He answered dejectedly.

"Unless, you want to put an ad in the school paper." I joked.

**January 24, 2013 BPOV**

"Bella, how many types of rice do we actually need? The Mayan calendar was supposed to have ended last month." Emmett whined as I forced him push the buggy through Trader Joes. We have only actually been together for about two weeks and hadn't even had sex, but we were so close that we act like a still in love old married couple.

"How many types are there? You know that I love using the rice cooker." I replied with a smirk as I bent over to grab a couple of more varieties of rice. As I stood up, I felt Emmett right behind me with his hands placed firmly on my hips. "Emmett, is something wrong?"

"No." He answered curtly.

I looked over my left shoulder and saw a decent looking, but confused man walking away from us. I turned in his arms and wrap mine around his neck. "That wasn't Jake. He has a job up in Washington. We shouldn't see him around here, at least not on weekdays."

"It is not like I know what he looks like. It is not like I have ever seen a picture. I don't even like him being on this side of the country." Emmett grumbled into my hair before placing a soft kiss there.

"I threw them all away. Actually, I tossed them all in a big metal garbage can and set them on fire." I said remembering how good that bonfire with Tanya had felt and smiled. "But I did tell you what he looks like. He is Native American with dark eyes, hair, and russet colored skin. He is definitely not that blonde and blue-eyed blonde surfer you just chased off around the corner." I said stepping away from him and placing the rice bags I still had in my hands in the buggy.

As I moved on to the next selections, I heard Emmett mutter, "If you didn't wear such tight clothes, this wouldn't be such a problem either."

I turned around and leaned back on the handle of the buggy. "Emmett McCarthy, I am wearing yoga pants and one of your baggy sweatshirts. I just came from cheer practice and a work out with my handsome, protective, boyfriend. Get off my back!"

"That's the problem. There are a lot of men that like your back or at least want you on your back." Emmett said trying to hide his smirk.

I just shook my head and turned to walk away. After walking a few feet down the aisle, my cell started playing _Man-eater_ by Hall & Oates.

"Who is that, Bella? I haven't heard you use that ringtone before." Emmett asked as I grabbed my phone out of its pocket in my purse.

"It's Rose. I don't know why, but this song just seems right for her." I replied quickly before answering the phone and ignoring the annoyed look on his face. "Hey, Rose! How are you feeling?"

"Bella, it is Edward." He said in a clipped, breathless tone. "Rose is in labor. We just got to the hospital. She is asking for you, something about you calming her."

"We are about 7 minutes away. See you there." I replied quickly before ending the call.

"Bella, what is going on?" Emmett asked.

"No more shopping today. It is baby time." I said smiling and picking up my purse from the buggy. I started to walk away and then, realized that Emmett was not behind me. "Emmett, are you coming?"

After a moment, he grabbed the buggy, started to walk away from me, and answered. "No, I think I really need to finish the shopping."

"One of these days, I will make you tell me the story behind you, Rose, and Edward. I do mean the full story, instead of just the bits and pieces." I said frustrated with my hands on my hips. I grabbed his hand and began pulling the stunned man behind me. "Right now, we need to get to the hospital. I have a feeling both of us need to be there for very different reasons."

**January 25, 2013 BPOV**

I walked down the cream colored hall from Rose's room on the maternity ward. I stopped and stared out of a window to see the sun rising over Mt. Diablo. I was in awe of the fact that after nine months of growth, perfect little Makenna was finally here. Rose was so strong and calm through Makenna's birth, but I knew it had to be hard. I turned toward the nursery to take another peek at the 20in long, 7 pound little pink bundle of sweetness.

I looked up to see Emmett standing next to Edward outside of the nursery window. I still didn't understand how the two of them had been so close they were almost brothers and then, one day just stopped.

I started forward again, but I stopped when I heard Edward say "Emmett, I still have no idea how all of this happened. One minute, I was your best friend and the next I was… well, you know."

"Yeah. The two times I accidently walk in on people having sex it is my girlfriend with my best friend and my little sister with a skinny cowboy." Emmett said with a dry, humorless chuckle.

"I saw them at Schooners. He looks nice, but skinny and rather geeky." Edward answered.

"He is a good guy, but it wasn't fun seeing him… ugh… never mind." Emmett started. After shaking from head to toe, he looked at Edward out of the corner of his eye and asked, "Are we just going to stand here and talk about my sister having sex while waiting for the results?"

"It sounds better than talking about how I screwed you over or how I found out about the third option for Makenna's father." Edward said in a dry tone that rivaled Emmett's.

"It figures there would be a third option. Three has always been Rosalie's lucky number." Emmett said dejectedly. "So, who is lucky number three?"

Edward mumbled a name that shocked me, but still explain a thing or two.

I began creeping backwards down the maternity ward hallway. I stopped outside of Rosalie's private room. I debated with myself for several minutes before gingerly opening the door. I almost kicked myself for debating so long because it looked like she was asleep. Then, she moved and slowly opened her eyes.

"Oh, I thought you would be Edward." Rosalie said stretching and wincing. "He is due to be here soon. I bet he can't wait to meet his baby girl."

I tried to keep my voice even when I responded. "He is down at the nursery watching Makenna wiggle in her plastic crib."

"Oh." She said almost so quietly I didn't hear her. "Maybe I should have had those nurses bring her back to my room."

"Just what do you mean by that, Rosalie?" I asked unsuccessfully keeping the question inside my own head.

I noticed a look of shock and disbelief quickly flash across her face before she schooled it into an innocent mask. "I mean I miss my daughter."

"Cut the crap, Rosalie Hale." I said with a bite to my tone. "I am not buying your shtick anymore. You told me that Edward is Makenna's father."

"Bella…." She tried to interrupt.

"You told me even though you were still technically dating Emmett when you got pregnant, you two hadn't slept together for months." I continued over her.

"That's right, but…" She said as she curled up into herself.

"Then, why in the hell do Edward, Emmett, and Principal Greene have to take paternity tests?"

_Author's Note~_

_Real life and my ex royally suck sometimes. Between fights, fires, TB scares, multiple bomb threats, and students playing with fire extinguishers at the high school I work at and my ex taking me to court for more custody rights, I have been exhausted and have barely even turned on my computer. I am so sorry for seeming to have abandoned this story. Now that my court battle is over (& my ex lost by nothing changing), I can relax and dive back into writing for an hour or two after my kiddo goes to sleep. There will probably be one more chapter and then the epilogue._

_~KaliCali77_

_P.S. Did you ever wonder what your teacher talk about in their staff lounge? Alice's masturbation rant is a compilation of phrases the male chemistry teacher came up with. I didn't ask them, they were just comparing phrases that they have used in their single days._

_Just remove the spaces!_

_Check out the banner for this story made by _ Christag_Banner at pbckt pW. R1ImZM

_I got the Beastie Boys lyrics from _ .com

_The (Adam Sandler) Billy Madison "Back to School" song lyrics from smartlyrics . com_

_Jessica and Lauren's club dresses _ spurst clubwear /3895-Venus +Mini +Dress

_Bella's present for Emmett _ 67. 212. 175. 138/~ yourlife /wp- content /uploads /2010 /03 /025913 .jpg


	9. Spring Break 2013!

_I don't own the characters. I just mess with their world!_

_This is a few scenes from throughout Bella & Emmett's Spring Break. It moves back and forth between Bella and Emmett's point of views. I did try to do a little something from every day._

**Cheer-Ball: Spring Break!**

**Spring Break** March 28-April 7, 2013

**Thursday, March 28 BPOV**

**Late Afternoon**

"Are we going to Cancun?" I asked impatiently for the six thousandth time in the past month since Emmett asked if he could plan our Spring Break vacation.

"Nope!" Emmett answered, popping the p and enjoying keeping his secret.

I was half relieved and half pouted. "Good, I didn't want to go anywhere a group of students had mentioned going."

"I whole heartedly agree with that." Emmett said as he pulled up the ticket dispenser in the long term parking lot. After grabbing a ticket he pulled his jeep into the lot and found a parking spot a few spots away from a shuttle stop. He shivered as he continued with "I have already seen those girls in club wear. I would hate to see them in the scraps of fabric they probably call bikinis."

After he hefted our bags out of the back of the jeep and locking it up, I asked Emmett, "Are we going to Playa Del Carmen?"

"No."

"How about going to Morocco for vacation?"

Emmett thought for a minute, but said, "Sounds fun, but no."

I wrapped my arms around his and smiled sweetly when he looked down at me. "Emmett, will you please tell me where we are going for our Spring Break?"

"Well, since you asked so sweetly, I will…"

"Really, you will?"

He smirk which meant he wasn't going to tell me everything. "I will tell you that we aren't going outside of the continental US."

I disengaged my arms from around his and poked him hard in the side. I muttered "Butthead" under my breath and skipped over to the shuttle bench. I smiled sweetly up at him again when he realized that I sat down in the only empty seat that was not broken.

"Just for that I will not tell you what area of the country we are going to." Then, he went to lean against the wall of the shuttle enclosure.

After a silent ride in the shuttle and non-touching walk to the check in counter, Emmett turned to me and said, "Get your driver's license out."

"Emmett…" I said to start my apology, but he turned away from me again quickly. I suddenly realized he was trying to suppress a smile. I smacked his arm lightly, "Jerk!" Then, I hopped up to the counter.

"Good morning, Miss." The Virgin Atlantic attendant said warmly.

"Good morning to you!" I said in a chirpy voice. "I wonder if you can do me a favor. You see, this big guy next to me that is looking very annoyed is my boyfriend. He thinks it is hilarious to tease me and not tell me where we are going on vacation. Is there any way I can persuade you to tell me where he taking me?"

I heard Emmett mumble, "Brat!" under his breath.

The attendant took my driver's license and tried to hide her motherly, amused smile. "My husband has never planned a vacation. I always have to do it myself. I say enjoy the surprises while they last."

"I guess I am pretty lucky that way." I said realizing that she is right and sighing. "I just hope it will be warm enough wherever we go for me to wear my new bikini."

"Oh, it should be, dear." The counter agent said helpfully before winking at me when Emmett looked down as he dug in his pocket. "I just hope your new bikini is strapless in order to avoid crazy tan lines from all the sun you will be getting."

"It isn't, but I can easily undo the thin halter strap to make it strapless." I chirped.

Emmet half groaned, half growled beside me. He got our tickets and handed over our luggage before wrapping his large, protective arm around my shoulders.

I looked back at the attendant over his hand. "Thanks for the advice! I will definitely use it."

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I hope you enjoyed your flight from San Francisco. Please follow the flight attendants instructions to safely exit the airplane." The pilot said over the loud speaker. I swear he was purposefully avoiding saying where we had flown to. "I hope you have a wonderful time here in Las Vegas."

**Late Evening**

We stepped out of the airport to hop a waiting taxicab. We drove straight to our hotel to drop off our hotel, The Venetian.

As we walked inside, I was completely amazed. I have never been to Venice, but this hotel looked exactly like I would imagine it to be and feel like. "Emmett, this is so beautiful. I absolutely love that you brought me here."

"I knew that I couldn't take you to Italy this Spring Break, but I could bring you as close as possible." Emmett said wrapping his arms around my shoulders from behind. "This will give us a glimpse into our trip with your Italian students next year."

"I do kind of wish we were on our way to Italy right now." I said somewhat wistfully. "I love most of my seniors, but my juniors are almost all know-it-all's."

"They will mellow out next year." He laughed as we joined our luggage at the concierge desk. "No more talking about our students. This week is about relaxing and just being us."

"I totally agree with that!" I said going up on my tiptoes to kiss his nose before we finished checking in and headed up to our room.

**Friday, March 29 BPOV**

My phone almost went through the window at nine o'clock in the morning!

After getting in last night and dropping our luggage in our room, we hit the strip and walked for hours. We had a week and didn't want to jump right in to gamble. We strolled looking in at the excitement of the casino floors and were propositioned by several working women of Vegas.

This morning, we had planned to enjoy sleeping late in each others' arms before enjoying a lazy afternoon by the pool and a night out at a club.

"Emmett, get the phone." I said not even opening my eyes.

He snorted, rolled onto his back, and took his heat with him. "It is your phone. You get it."

"I will make it worth your while later…" I said raising my eyebrows and turning toward his voice, but still not opening my eyes.

"If you don't, you will regret it!" He grumbled as he turned to get my phone off of the nightstand. After answering the phone, he said, "Hello. Do you realize it is nine o'clock in the morning on Bella and my first day of Spring Break?"

The person on the other end answered back.

Emmett laughed and replied, "Of course, I knew it was you. I can read Bella's caller id. What do you need besides my girlfriend?"

Emmett put my phone on speaker phone and Edward's new carefree laughter filled the room as I finally opened my eyes. "I wanted to let you two know that I have to change my phone number along with my already changed address."

"Why do you have to change your phone number?" I asked with my interest peeked.

"Good morning, Bella. Sorry to wake you up early on vacation." Edward said apologetically.

"No problem, answering the phone and reaching things in tall cabinets are the reasons why I have Emmett. But back to my first question: why do you have to change your phone number?"

"Rosalie has been relentless. She has been calling day and night. She even showed up as I was heading out to take Makenna for a walk. Plus, she has been calling and begging Greene to fire you and hire her since she was fired from that stuck up private school. She threatened to expose him as a power-hungry, adulterer." Edward said in a huff. "I just need another way to protect Makenna and myself from Rosalie."

"Oh, my goodness," I said up and letting the sheet fall from my shoulders. Emmett wiggled his eyebrows at me. I slapped his exposed, chiseled chest before continuing. "I hope she stops all of this before Makenna is old enough to know how horrible her mother is behaving."

"I hope so, too." Edward said sighing. "Also, Rosalie's mother has cut her off and has changed Rosalie's trust fund to one for Makenna."

"Good for Mrs. Hale." Emmett muttered and I smacked him lightly on his chest again. "What? Her parents always hated me."

"That is because even though their daughter was dating you for money, you didn't have the status to go with that money." Edward said half serious, half joking. "I, on the other hand, have money and status as a predominant lawyer."

"Ha, ha, ha." Emmett said half-heartedly back.

I leaned over him, kissed his cheek gently and said, "I love you, even if you have no status."

I was quickly on my back with Emmett's hard body resting gently on top of mine. "Ugh! Edward, I think I am about to be in serious trouble. I have to go."

"Eww… Emmett." Edward whined. "At least, wait until you finish the phone call and hang up. Bella, I will text you my new number later because I have to bleach my brain."

"Bye, Edward."

"Bye, Bella."

Emmett quickly thrust his hard cock inside me as soon as the phone call was over.

**Saturday, March 30 EPOV**

"Emmett, have I told you lately that you planned a great vacation?" Bella asked throwing her arms around my neck. "I am really having a good time."

I turned my head and kissed her forehead. "You, my dear, are a little past tipsy. How much have you had to drink?"

"Just a couple drinks." She answered unwrapping her arms and seating down to pout in the slot machine seat next to me. "They were really pretty colors."

"Isabella, did you pay for those drinks yourself or did someone buy them for you?" I asked worried that she was this inebriated without me around.

"Those girls that were flirting with you yesterday just brought them to me." She asked perking back up. As she reached into her pocket, she added, "They even gave me these pretty little umbrellas. Alice loves little umbrellas."

"Yes, she does."I said laughing at my girlfriend's drunken state. "Give me five minutes and we will go back to the room."

"I don't want to go to the room." Bella whined. "There are no pretty colored drinks up there."

I sighed and shook my head. "We will take one with us. Does that sound better?"

"Much better," Bella answered jumping out of the seat and hugging my neck again. "You should ask the waitress or the really tan guy what they are called. He keeps talking with her when she goes to the bar, maybe he knows."

"The really tan guy…" I asked getting curious. "Did you see what he looks like?"

She shook her head against mine. "He had his back to me."

"Do you still see him sitting at the bar now?" I asked worried that we had been found.

"Nope, he left quickly after I joined you." She giggled and her hair tickled the back of my neck.

"Bella, please let me know if you see that guy again." I said seriously.

"Whatever" was her only response.

"Let's go up to the room now. I'll talk to you about this tanned mystery man tomorrow." I said untangling her arms and standing up. "We can look through the picture menu on the television in our room."

"Can we look at the menu from bed?" She asked with a mischievous grin.

I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. "That sounds like an amazing plan."

**Sunday, March 31 BPOV**

Emmett was really excited. I watched him literally bouncing around the sitting room as I continued getting dressed. I just had to laugh at how thrilled he is to be going out after spending the day in bed yesterday.

"Emmett, can you get the door? I am only half dressed." I called from the bedroom area where I was getting ready to go out to lunch.

"I know. I like you even better this way." Emmett smirked at me over his shoulder before stepping in between me and the door. He opened the door still laughing. "Hey, man. How can I help you?"

The voice that answered chilled my blood. "It is more like I can help you. Emmett, isn't it?" I quickly threw on the tank shirt I had setting out on my bed.

"How do you think you can help me?" Emmett asked with a skeptical tone to his voice.

Suddenly, Emmett was pushed out of the doorway and Jacob stepped into the hotel suite.

"What a lovely suite Bella has forced you to get for her for the week." He said casually looking around before locking his eyes on mine. "And there she is,"

Emmett looked at me with barely a question in his eyes. "Jacob Black, right?"

"I see that my reputation precedes me." Jacob said smiling. "I hope this little lady has told you the truth, not what she made up to turn all of our old friends against me."

I started shaking with rage. "Jake, the only thing I have ever made up about you is the size of your penis."

"Funny, Bella, very funny." Jake said continuing to walk through our suite. "Your dishonesty will come back to haunt you. The truth will come back to bite your ass like the bitch you are. But I don't know why you would take my warning; you never took any of my warnings before."

"Bella," Emmett said softly getting my attention as he closed the door. Acting like he was trying to figure out exactly what was going on, he said, "Isn't Jacob your ex-boyfriend from college?"

I tried to calm down to see sense. "Yes, he was my boyfriend in high school and college. Why? How did you hear about him?"

"Charlie told me about him over Christmas." Emmett said walking over to stand between Jacob and me. "I was trying to learn more about you even when I had screwed up so royally that you weren't talking to me."

"Awww, Bella, only you can shut a guy out even when you aren't dating him." Jake said laughingly. "You are still pretty much the definition of a bitch. By the way, how was your Christmas? I was sad to see that you didn't come home like you did for Thanksgiving."

"Fuck you, Jake!" I spat at him.

"Look, man. I have allowed you to come into the suite that **I surprised** Bella with." He said before quietly adding. "She wanted to just stay at home and swim in our pool." Louder, he said, "But you will be asked to leave if you insult her again."

"I meant nothing by it, did I, Bella?" Jake asked with the smirk that used to turn me on during when our relationship wasn't scary. "I would never say anything to intentionally hurt you, would I?"

I turned around, grabbed my purse, and quickly found the mace my father had given me at the bottom. Emmett wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close to his chest. He whispered in my ear, "Bella, let me handle this. He won't be able to get to me like he would you."

"I don't want you to handle him." I whispered back, resting my forehead against his chest.

"I'll make a deal with you." He said whispering again as Jake huffed at being ignored from the sitting area below us. "I will deal with him if you are willing to deal with any floozy or single mom that throws herself at me."

I popped my head up and laughingly said, "Deal."

Emmett smiled a Cheshire cat smiled before kissing me on the top of my head and then, turning to face Jake again. He calmly places the can of mace I didn't realize he had taken from me on the end table next to the railing. He pulled out his phone and began scrolling through his contacts.

Jake scoffed, "What? Are you going to call one or two of your friends to fly down and intimidate me?"

"We are way past that stage." Emmett chuckled. "Besides if I wanted you intimidated I would do it myself. I just have a legal question I need answered and I am trying to find the right person to answer it."

"Seriously? What kind of legal question could you possibly need answered in the middle of the day on Easter Sunday?" Jake asked with a slight hitch in his voice, alerting us that he was pushed off balance with Emmett's statement.

"Well. I guess I could leave Charlie alone and ask you my question. You are from Washington, right?" Emmett said thoughtfully as he lowered his phone to his side. Before Jake could answer, Emmett continued, "Do you know if the Las Vegas Police Department will enforce a restraining order that was set up in Washington? I know that California will."

**Tuesday, April 2 BPOV**

"Emmett, I can't do it and you can't make me." Bella said from her position still under the covers where she had stayed the entire time I was taking a shower and getting dressed.

I turned around and leaned back against the hotel room door. "Bella, we already hid out here all day yesterday. We hid out on April Fool's Day! Besides, He is scared after I told him about the restraining order you got."

"Yeah, it was pretty obvious he didn't know about our trip up to Washington for a long Valentine's Day weekend. I really thought he was keeping better tabs on me." I half chuckled. "Plus, if he is scared that doesn't mean he won't try something, if he thinks he can get away with it."

"He found us here, but maybe he has left Las Vegas." Emmett added singing the last three words. "Even if he hasn't left, I want to go have some fun outside this hotel room!"

Bella threw back the covers still just in her navy blue tank top and matching thong that she had slept in. "I am not going anywhere." She said emphatically before taking off her tank top to reveal her naked breasts which she knows are my weakness.

"Bella, put on a shirt that you can wear in public. Then, throw on some actual pants." I said tightly closing my eyes. "I am going down to the casino. I hope to see you there soon."

"Hello, beautiful." I said as Bella slid her arms around my shoulders. "It took you long enough. I have been waiting for an hour and a half. I am very glad you decided to get dressed."

"I didn't put on pants." Bella whispered in my ear.

I turned quickly in the slot machines swivel chair. I gasped when I saw Bella standing in front of me dressed in sexy, white off the shoulder dress that hit ended her mid thigh. She did a slow twirl to let me see that it hugged her ass perfectly.

I swallowed a few times before saying, "I think that I like you not wearing pants."

"I felt bad, so I thought I would make it up to you." She said moving closer to me to stand between my legs. "I got us tickets to a show."

"Please tell me that you didn't get tickets to that twisty and bendy show." I said dropping my head to rest on her shoulder.

She laughed lightly and kissed the side of my head. "Why would I get tickets to Cirque du Soleil when I am trying to make something up to you? I got tickets to Terry Fator."

When I finally was finally able to open our suite door, Bella almost fell into the room laughing. "I can't believe he can actually sing that high. I have never heard any guy hit a note that high except when Matt took a football to the groin."

I winced. "That would make any guy, even Barry White, hit a high note."

Bella giggled and flipped on the light.

We both gasped at the sight of a couple of dozen red roses lying on our bed.

"Emmett! What did you do?" Bella said running to the bed. "How did you even get this done? You didn't even know we were going to a show tonight."

"I hate to say this, Bella, but this wasn't me." I said walking over to her and rubbing her arms. "I wish I had though. Does that count?"

"If you didn't, who did?" She asked with the excitement dropping from her face.

"I think we know the answer to that." I leaned over to pick up the card.

Bella,

I hope you enjoyed your night.

I know I enjoyed mine.

Terry Fator definitely was worth

the million dollars he won.

See you tomorrow.

Jake

**Wednesday, April 3 BPOV**

**Late Evening**

Emmett sharply pulled me away from the roulette wheel. He dragged me tripping along behind him through the Venetian Casino.

"Emmett, what is your problem?" I asked trying to keep up with his long strides. "I was actually up a couple of hundred dollars."

He refused to answer and just kept pulling me behind him. He pulled me through the lobby and kept glancing back over my head.

I pulled back hard when we got to the Bridge of Love over the Grand Canal. I hissed at him, "Emmett, what in the hell is wrong with you?"

He looked a little flustered, but he was determined to continue with whatever he was planning.

"Isabella Marie Swan, will you marry me?" Emmett asked me after dropping to one knee in the middle of the Bridge of Love.

"Emmett, what in the hell are you doing?" I whispered back at him through my teeth.

He continued to kneel and tried like hell not to roll his eyes. He whispered quietly because we were starting to attract an audience. "Bella, he is forty feet beyond this bridge. Just say yes." More loudly he said, "I have loved you since you wacked your head on your desk and I had to rush you to the hospital the first day we meet. I loved you when you were pissed at me. I loved you when you turn into a graceful, closet klutz. I will love you through every mood swing and every time you get annoyed with me. Will you marry me?"

"Of course, I will marry you. I love you, Emmett McCarthy!" I said excitedly back with the happiest of tears running down my face. He slid the simple Tiffany & Co band with a 2 carat, square cut diamond perfectly onto my finger.

"Alice and Esme helped you, didn't they?" I said laughing. "I love it and I love you!"

He stood up quickly and pulled me into his arms. He kissed me hard and fast. Pulling me into an even closer hug, he whispered, "Let's go up to the room, call the families, and wait for cavalry to arrive."

I kissed his neck and whispered back, "That sounds like the best plan."

**Thursday, April 4 EPOV**

The suite door burst open and Bella's head popped up from its place of rest on my chest. The cavalry had arrived in the forms of Alice, Esme, Jasper, Carlisle, Victoria, and Bella's dad, Charlie.

Alice laughed at the sight of Bella and I curled up on the couch. "Awww, shucks! I was hoping we would catch you in a compromising position. I was excited to be able to tease Emmett. Also, I wanted to jump on Charlie to cover his innocent eyes!"

The rest of us laughed nervously while Charlie scowled at the demon pixie.

"Moving on," Alice said briskly. "You two love birds have five minutes to get to our suite. We have lots to do and very little time to do it!"

Alice swept from the room dragging everyone else, but Jasper along with her. He smiled sheepishly at us. "Here is a key. The room number is on it." He turned to leave. Just before he shut the door, he added, "Be warned. Alice has charts and lots of lists. She said she could see this coming."

After the door clicked shut, I turned my body to fully face Emmett's. "Are you sure you don't want to run down to a quicky wedding chapel?"

Jasper answered before Emmett could. "It is way too late for that, Swan. If you back out now, Alice will explode and take out the entire hotel with her."

From farther away, we heard Alice shouting, "I heard that, Jasper."

**Friday, April 5 BOV**

"Wake up, Sleepyheads! It is time to shop!" Alice called as she walked into mine and Emmett's suite at ten in the morning.

"MARY ALICE McCARTY, get out of our room!" Emmett yelled as he pulled me down to him and pulled the sheet over us.

With the new angle of our bodies, I moaned at the new feeling. He moaned back in response.

Then, he growled at his sister. "She will be ready in twenty minutes."

I licked up the column of his neck and whispered in his ear, "Only twenty minutes, huh?"

"She will be down in about an hour." He said stuttering as I nibbled his ear.

After an hour and a half of rolling around the bed and spending some time in the shower, Emmett and I made our way up to the four bedroom suite that our new, mixed family was sharing. We both cringed when we could hear a screaming voice a few rooms away from their door.

"Mum, Jasper doesn't have to sleep on the couch in the common room!" Alice's voice whined through the door. "We would have stayed in our own suite if I knew you would treat us like little kids. Plus, it would help if the hotel had any available."

"That is not helping your case, Alice." Siobhan answered back.

"Charlie is letting Bella stay with Emmett even though they aren't married yet." Alice yelled back trying to help her case.

My dad piped up from somewhere inside. "Don't bring me into your argument, Demon Pixie."

Emmett knocked very lightly hoping no one would hear and we could sneak back to our room two floors below. To our chagrin, Victoria opened the door almost before he finished knocking. She and Esme were standing near the door with their hands over their mouths holding in their giggles.

Emmett leaned over and whispered, "How long has this been going?"

"About five minutes," Charlie said softly as he walked over to us from a couch. He gave me a quick hug and kiss on my forehead. Casually wrapping his left arm around Victoria's waist, while with his right hand he reached out and asked, "How are you, son?"

Emmett's face lit up as he answered, "Fine, sir, just realizing how incredible my mum's timing is."

"Is this going to stop on its own or will an outside force have to stop it?" Victoria asked during a pause in her giggling.

"If they have to stop themselves, they will end up not talking to each other for several hours." Esme began to explain.

Liam interrupted. "That could be a good thing."

Esme lightly swatted her uncle's arm.

Emmett chuckled quietly. "I have an idea, but it is slightly crude. Charlie, I promise I never act like this performance and it is purely to piss off my sister."

As Charlie shook his head at Emmett, the younger man began strutting around the common room of the four bedroom suite like a proud peacock. He stretched his arms above his head. He occasionally took a longer step to lengthen his leg.

On his third pass, Alice finally noticed her older brother. "What are you doing, annoying brother of mine?"

"Just stretching my legs and back," Emmett replied calmly. When he turned away from Alice, he winked at the group of us near the door.

Alice shifted her weight from one hip to the other and huffing put her hands on her hips. "Why do you need to stretch your legs? Haven't you been walking around Venetian casinos and the rest of the Vegas Strip for the past week? Aren't you pretty stretched by now?"

"When I come with the guys that scenario is usually the case," He answered still strutting.

Their mother and Jasper had caught on by this point. Siobhan had met her husband on the sofa and was quietly laughing into Liam's shoulder. Jasper let out a strangled laughing cough before throwing a small, rectangular pillow at Esme, Victoria, and me.

"Did Bella make you stay at the Venetian all week?" Alice asked confused.

"Sort of," was his only reply.

At this point, my dad couldn't believe Alice didn't get it. He threw up his hands and walked back to the sofa to sit in Jasper's now vacant seat. Victoria, Esme, and I followed him to the seating area, still laughing. Victoria sat next to my dad. Esme went to sit on the floor in front of Carlisle, but he pulled her gently onto his lap.

I walked over to sit on the empty loveseat. Winking at my soon to be husband and then, smiling apologetically at my father, I sat gingerly on the loveseat.

That is when everything clicked into place in Alice's brain. She stomped her foot and let out a strangled scream. "I hate you all." She said seething before storming off to her room with Jasper trailing behind.

After her door slammed shut, I quietly said, "Oh, darn! I thought we were going to go shopping." The whole room exploded in raucous laughter.

Emmett made his way to sit by me on the loveseat. After sitting down next to me, Emmett still laughing said, "You played your part beautifully. I couldn't have scripted you better myself." Then, he kissed me sweetly on the forehead.

**Late Evening EPOV**

Bella and I were cuddled up on the loveseat in our suite. I wasn't sure about her, but I was definitely exhaled and enjoying the quiet. I love my family, including Charlie and Victoria, but all of them could be a bit much.

"Bella, are you as exhausted as I am?" I asked as I rolled my head along the back of the loveseat to look at my fiancé. She nodded her head yes and tried to stifle a yawn. "I suggest that we just leave all of this **stuff** spread about until tomorrow, I say we should get really comfortable and go to bed."

"I love that idea." Bella answered through another yawn. "Just promise me, no funny business, Mister."

I nodded as I stood up and pulled her up to join me. We walked toward the bed, shedding our clothes, and turning off the lights. I crawled under the covers with Bella climbing quickly after me. She snuggled into my chest and sighed. Within seconds, her breathing evened out and she was asleep.

I softly kissed the top of her head and whispered, "I love you, Isabella Marie Swan. I will always protect you." Then, I drifted off to sleep myself.

**Saturday, April 6 BPOV**

"Wake up! Wake up! It is your wedding day!" Alice yelled at the top of her lungs as she threw open the curtains near the bed. The windows were tinted, but it was still harsh to be hit with so much light before I even open my eyes.

I felt Emmett grab an extra pillow and chuck it in the general direction of Alice. By the sound of her grunt and the thunk of her body smacking the glass, Emmett hit his target.

"Emmett McCarty, you and Bella gave me a mere forty-two hours to pull together a wedding." Alice huffed throwing the pillow back. Her aim was definitely not as good as her brother's. The pillow hit the headboard and bounced back onto my face. "I would appreciate it if you would at least keep my schedule for today."

Emmett's hand groped around the bed until he found mine, "Are you sure about this?"

"I am sure we can handle one day living on Alice's schedule." I answered back and opened my eyes before kissing his cheek. "Well, I am sure we can as long as she took into account that we are both naked right now. I hope she had it on her schedule to leave in t-minus 5…4…3…"

Alice slammed the door behind her so hard that the wall shook.

"And that darling is why I am marrying you!" Emmett shouted before worshiping my genius.

"Bella, you haven't said a word in twenty minutes." Emmett said with a slight hint of concern in his voice. "Am I already not livingup to my husbandly duties?"

I turned my head to smile at my new husband. "No one in the entire world would ever be able to call into question your ability to perform your husbandly duties. I was just thinking about our wedding."

"Which part?"

"Everything! I can't believe everything Alice was able to accomplish. The simple, but tasteful and beautiful decorations of navy blue edged roses and green ivy were more than I could have ever dreamed up. Plus, Carlisle performing a short, sweet, and to the point wedding ceremony. Esme, Carlisle, Alice, Jasper, Angela, and Ben forming a Soul Train line down the aisle. But I think the icing on the cake, that was almost as good as the icing Angela and Bree made, was Jake walking in right as Carlisle said you may now kiss your wife."

"I think that was my favorite part, too." Emmett said kissing my forehead. "Do you want to know a secret your dad told me?"

"You really want to talk about my father in bed on our wedding night?"

He continued talking as if I hadn't interrupted. "He is having a few friends from the Seattle police department pick Jake up for violating your restraining order."

"I love my dad!"

Emmett growled, "Okay, enough about your dad and the stalker guy. I want to enjoy my wife."

"Say it again."

"Enough about your dad and the stalker guy?"

I slapped his bare chest. "Emmett McCarty!"

"I want to enjoy my wife!"

**Sunday, April 7 BPOV**

We pulled up the house and Emmett cut his jeep's engine. We sat in the front seats holding hands. "Do we really have to go in there?"

"I think we do." Emmett said turning his head toward me. He gave me a small smile, brought our clasped hands to his lips, and kissed the back of my hand. He continued kissing my wrist, my forearm, the inside of my elbow, and up to my shoulder. After placing one final kiss on the back of my hand, he said, "Besides if we don't, that big family of ours will come out and get us."

"I love that they are our family, but I still want you all to myself." I answered pouting.

Emmett thought for a second. "Fake an injury!"

"What?" I said jerking away to look at him. "Why should I fake an injury?"

He smiled mischievously. "I can carry you to the house and take you straight up to our room. By the way, which room is going to be our room?"

"I think we keep both of the rooms and that become our floor. Alice and Jasper can have the house to share with all the parents after ours is built."

"When did we find out a new house was going to be built?"

"Your mum told me when we were getting ready for the wedding." I said before giggling. "Alice was so pissed. She hoped she and Jasper would get the new house."

He smiled at me before saying, "How did you swing us getting the new house?"

"I simply said my dream house would be a little smaller, but with more bedrooms for all the babies I want to have with you."

"You know we are going to have to follow through on that now." He sighed and threw his head back against the headrest.

I leaned over and kissed his shoulder. "We can always get a dog for every bedroom until we have kids."

He peeked at me out of the corner of his eye. "You have really learned how to work my… our family, haven't you?"

"Yes, indeed I have. I promised your dad that our first dog would be Irish which made him smile."

"I am still going to want kids." He said a little worriedly.

I looked over at him and smiled. "I am aware. I want kids, too. Someday…"

"Then, let's go practice." Emmett was out of the car and around to my side in a flash. He picked me up gently quickly taking my shoe off of my left foot. He burst through the front door. "We're home!"

We heard the sounds of Carlisle, Esme, Alice, and Jasper's feet coming quickly toward us. Everyone chuckled at Emmett still holding me off the floor.

Esme said, "You are allowed to put the bride down once you get in the house, Emmett."

With a wink at me, Emmett said, "Not when she hurts her ankle at the airport."

"Seriously, Bella, you can't be taken anywhere, can you?" Alice said smirking at me telling me she knew the ruse.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I guess not."

"Well, sorry to disappoint you people, but I am going to take my wife upstairs for her to rest." Emmett said actually being able to keep a straight face. "I'll get the bags later, unless you want to help a new husband out."

As he started up the stairs, I saw Esme and Alice push Carlisle and Jasper out toward the jeep.

Emmett continued up the stairs to my room claiming that he wasn't sure if he had picked up the dirty clothes in his. I didn't care if which bedroom we were in as long as I was with my new husband.

_Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed glimpsing Bella & Emmett's Spring Break! Sorry, it took a little longer than I thought. Real life is sometimes a bastard in expensive shoes. I appreciate every follow, favorite, review, and constructive criticism. Until next time (which is the epilogue), Ciao!_

_KaliCali77_

_P.S. I tried 15 different wedding scenes. None of them sounded good so I combined parts of a few to make the memories in Bella's head._

_Just Remove Space!_

_Emmett and Bella's hotel suite www. /Las-Vegas –Accommodations /Suites /Bella-Suite /_

_Bella's engagement ring www. tiffany Engagement/ item. aspx? GroupSku= GRP10057& selectedSku= 26072719#f+ _


	10. August 10, 2035

_For the last time on this story, I don't own Twilight. I just like messing with the characters._

**Cheer-Ball: August 10, 2035**

**Emmett POV**

"Embry, would you stop wiggling." I said frustrated with him and his tuxedo bowtie. "I should have listened to Edward and let you have a clip-on."

Edward chuckled from the doorway behind me. "I have told you for years and years that I am the smart on in this friendship."

"Very funny, asshole!" I answered while throwing my hands in the air signaling my surrender to the bowtie. "Edward, would you please come tie my son's bowtie?"

"Of course, I will. He isn't afraid that I will strangle him for marrying my little girl and taking her away from me, is he?" Edward teased as I walked away to sit on the window seat in his childhood bedroom.

"Why do you always insist on saying it like that, Mr. Masen?" Embry almost whined as his future father-in-law made his way over to him. "Makenna and I were already going to college at U-Dub. Why does the two of us living together as a married couple make that much of a difference for you? It is not like we weren't living together before."

"Spoken like a true 21 year old male!" I laughed as Edward tightened Embry's collar a little too tightly.

Embry muttered loudly to himself. "Mrs. Masen doesn't seem to mind. She is even happy for us."

I smirked at Edward over my son's head. Embry and Makenna had yet to discover that Tanya Masen isn't Makenna's real mother.

Rose had tried to contact Edward to get him back for another month before Edward and his prestigious legal mind had been able to thwart her every attempt, gain sole custody, and strip Rose of all her parental rights. He had finally realized that Rose was only after him for his money and never truly cared for him or their daughter at all. Not able to win him or gain another teaching position after knowledge of her seducing her former boss came out, Rose ended up snagging some rich, Italian prince who left her stranded and friendless when he found her sleeping his drunken father.

Bella, who was no longer jealous of Tanya, introduced her to Edward at our wedding reception that we had at home just after the school year ended in 2013. They hit it off right away and were married in a small, picnic wedding a month later.

The kids have always known Tanya as Edward's wife and never questioned who Makenna came from. Edward did have a wacky plan about a fire in case the kids every asked to see pictures of Makenna's birth.

"Of course, she is happy about it. Everyone knows how much Tanya loves to throw a grand party." Edward said wryly. "There… your bowtie is done. Now, it is time to tie your father's."

"You caught that I hadn't quite gotten it right, had you?" I asked smiling and tugging on my lopsided bowtie.

**Bella's POV**

I turned away from my bay window and looked over at my future daughter-in-law. "Makenna, are you ready? Because it looks like my son is."

"He is down there already!" Makenna squealed as she jumped up and down with Tanya. "I can't believe my wedding is finally here!"

Trying to be the logical one, I started going through a check list to make sure everything would run smoothly. "Emmett, Edward, Jasper, Carlisle, and Embry are all milling around waiting to head to the front. Renee is stomping down the stairs yelling at her mother that she doesn't want to wear a dress. Alice is dragging her seven year old tomboy down the stairs and telling her that she better not stomp on the flower petals as she walks down the aisle. Most importantly of all, you look gorgeous and so much in love."

"Thanks, GiGi!" Makenna said giggling. Then, she whispered, "But now that Alice is out of the room, can I take off these ridiculous heels?"

"Of course, you can. I can't believe you let her talk you into wearing those 4 inch heels." I answered as I stepped over to my closet where I had hidden a pair of 2 inch heels. "You have to watch yourself with calling me GiGi all the time though."

I kneeled in front of her to change her shoes because we didn't want her sitting and wrinkling her dress. Tanya and Esme held up the dress and let her lean on their shoulders.

"I know." Makenna answered mockingly.

"She's right, Makenna." Tanya said smoothing out the non-existent wrinkles in the A-line skirt of the wedding dress. "Everyone in the family besides your fathers knows that are you pregnant. You have been able to keep this from them the last two months while we planned this wedding. Don't blow it now!"

Esme swatted their hands away gently. "Leave the poor girl alone. She hasn't slipped up in front of them in the past two months and she won't today. Those two men will find out at the right time and in the right moment."

"Can the right moment be after the babies are born when Embry and I are able to use them as cute, little, baby shields?" Makenna asked sheepishly.

"Yes, I believe that will be the perfect moment to …" Tanya started to say smiling brightly at Makenna.

"Shut the fuck up, Tanya! Makenna Masen almost McCarty, did you just say BABIES?" I asked floored. "As in you are going to give me more than one grandchild to spoil in a few months."

She nodded her head yes and the three of us engulfed her in a giant, but gently hug. When we let her go, a rush of questions started pouring out of Tanya, Esme, and my mouths.

"When did you find out?"

"Are you carrying boys or girls or one of each?"

"Why did you wait so long to tell us?"

Makenna held up her hands up to stop the barrage of questions. "I wanted to tell you since the day we found out two weeks ago. Embry wouldn't let me though. He said we should keep one secret from you all."

"Really, my son actually tried to keep a secret from me." I laughed. "I don't know why he thought that he could. He never could before. He even used to ask my advice on the best porn to look at."

"Are you serious?" Tanya asked trying to hold in her laughter.

I nodded my head yes. "But that is probably because I caught him jerking off to a picture he had found of my first cheerleading squad at Frost High. I mean Angela, my former student and co-worker, was in that picture." All of us burst out laughing at that. "The worst part was Angela had just gotten married to Ben and started teaching at Frost High after her own career as a Raider's cheerleader." We all cringed a little. "I couldn't look her in the eye for a month."

"That is priceless." Makenna said laughing with the rest of us. "I will have to use that against him at some point."

Before anyone else could respond, Alice poked her head in and knocked on the door just loud enough for us to hear her. When we had quieted down and turned to her, she said, "You have about ten minutes before Renee starts complaining about her dress again. You might want to get her down the aisle before she does start again and I end up killing my youngest."

I chuckled amusedly. "I warned you. I told you that if you took all of my comfy, but not so trendy maternity clothes, it would come back to haunt you."

"But you were just wearing shirts that were too big and yoga pants!"

"I still warned you."

"I know. Believe me, I know" Alice groaned. "I still couldn't help myself. I had to make you wear the girlie, frilly pregnancy stuff. Still, I wish I had just one girlie girl. All I have are two of the biggest tomboys and a dude that cannot wait to ride his daddy's Harley."

Esme walked over to Alice and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Come on, Alice. We should give these three a moment of two. Let me see if I can work a little of my magic with Renee and Emmie."

The three of us that were left in the room wiped away our happy, laughter tears away as Esme and Alice shut the door behind them.

Makenna told us to sit on the end of the bed. She walked over to Emmett's closet and got two packages off of one of the shelves. She walked back two of us and handed each of us a present.

"What is this?" Tanya asked looking between Makenna's face and the present in her hands.

"This is just a little something to help me say thank you." Makenna said softly.

I started to give her back the present and say, "You shouldn't have. I am going to just give you and your mom a minute alone." But the young woman standing in front of me stopped me before I could even get out the first word.

"Bella, stop and listen. You were my mom until my dad married Tanya." She said shocking Tanya and I. "You took care of me of me and taught my dad what he needed to know to care for me. You were there for me when I was too embarrassed to talk to my parents. Plus, you found my dad the love of his life. I cannot say thank you enough for what you have done for me and my family."

I stood and wrapped her in a gentle hug. "How long have you known about Tanya not being your mom?"

"Forget how long," Tanya piped up. "How did you find out?

"I figured out everything out with Jasper and Alice's help about eight years ago. One night after I had thrown a massive fit about wanting a baby brother or sister, I heard dad comforting you. He was murmuring that we already had the perfect family, that he didn't need any more kids to make him happy, and that you love me more than Rosalie ever could. Over the next month, I pestered and pestered Alice until she cracked and explained almost everything."

"That wasn't very nice or fair to Alice. That was about the time Alice's defenses were low because she was pregnant with Renee."

"Exactly, why else do you think it only took me a month to crack her?" Makenna said mischievously.

Tanya muttered, "It is times like this that I wonder if they got the paternity tests wrong. She is so much like Emmett."

"According to Alice, that is entirely Emmett and dad's fault. After that Jacob Black attacked both of you, it is no wonder they wanted all of us to be together and protect each other." Makenna said as if the attack had meant nothing.

She had no idea that Jacob had come not to attack, but to steal. He had come when Tanya and I were alone with Embry, who was a month old preemie, and Makenna, who was a year old. He came on Emmett's first day back to work from winter break and Jacob took my son. Even though Jacob was killed by the police, Emmett and Edward become almost suffocating with their protectiveness.

I blinked back tears from the memories. I reached over and tweaked her nose. "You are way too smart for your own good sometimes."

"My poor, in the very near future son-in-law, he is going to have such a beautiful, smart, and cunning wife." Tanya giggled.

"Speaking of your future son-in-law, open these presents and we can get down there. Then, he can become your actual son-in-law." Makenna said setting us back on track.

Tanya and I tore into our presents trying to forget the past that had just been brought up. Inside each of the wrappings was a Tiffany necklace box. Makenna encouraged us to open the boxes. Lying in the boxes was a beautiful, silver, heart-shaped, locket with a diamond heart in the center of the front. I opened my locket and there were two pictures inside. There was a tiny picture of Makenna and Embry as kids on one side with a picture of them now on the other side.

"I wanted you two to have the two of us, your kids, with you always." Makenna quietly said, smiling with tears in her eyes.

Tanya and I both grabbed Makenna in a tight hug. We hadn't been in that position too long before Esme interrupted and scolded us not to wrinkle the dress. We helped each other put on the necklaces and headed down the stairs toward my son and husband.

The ceremony was beautiful and I cried through the whole thing. Emmett kept me from completely falling apart. He held my hand and let me rest my head on his shoulder as the tears streamed from my eyes.

The reception passed in a blur of toasts, food, dancing and laughter.

When the happy couple had left and all of the guests had gone home, Emmett and I climbed into our bed.

I stretched and then, snuggled into his side. "I love seeing all our friends and family, but I am so glad they are gone."

"I know what you mean. I can only take so much of your dad." Emmett said chuckling and causing my head to bounce.

I lightly slapped his chest. "That is not what I mean and you know it. I love being able to end the day with you no matter how crazy and nosey they are."

"I love having you all to myself, too." He said squeezing me even further into his side.

I sighed and closed my eyes preparing to fall asleep. "Can you believe a bump on the head and a trip to the hospital led to all of this?" I asked beginning to fall asleep.

Emmett laughter lightly and rubbed my back as he agree with me. "By the way, did I ever tell you about this time that old principal Greene asked me to choose between an average teacher applicant and a smoking hot, intelligent, beautiful, former NFL cheerleader for a coaching and Italian position. I'm so glad I made the right choice."

_Author's Note!_

_I hope you enjoyed Bella and Emmett's road together._

_I will begin posting my Alice/Jasper story, The Sounds of Silence, in a few months. I am going to fix some of the mistakes in the first chapters and write most of the rest before I begin posting again._

_~ KaliCali77_

_The necklaces given to Tanya & Bella: www. tiffany Shopping/ Item. aspx? From Grid= 1&sku= GRP05542& mcat= 148204 &cid= 287465& search_ params= s+5-p+61-c+287465-r+-x+-n+6-ri+-ni+0-t+_


	11. KaliCali77 Pen Name Change

The reasons are crazy and hard to explain, but I need to change the Pen Name on this account.

Just to let you know, I am about 6 chapters into a new story about Bella and Edward. I want to get a few more chapters in before I start posting.


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